Landing Amongst the Stars
by TheBurlesqueKittens
Summary: Itachi, the guitarist of the hottest band in Japan, has always kept his past secret. But what happens when his past comes hurdling back in the form of two girls? Sakura and Ino are about to learn that the closest people can leave the most painful scars.
1. Shoot for the Moon

**Disclaimer: **We do not own Naruto.

**Title:** Landing Amongst the Stars

**Genre:** Romance/Drama/Angst

* * *

**LANDING AMONGST THE STARS**

Chapter One: _Shoot for the Moon_

A collaboration by _**Winter Psyche**_ and _**tornupleather**_

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

_He left when I was nine. There isn't a lot I remember about him. I remember he was tall, because I'd always have to crane my neck up when we talked. I remember he had eyes the color of burnt cedar, which cause my heart to skip every time they lit up. I remember his voice, soft, intense…_

_But most of all the mixed feelings the day he left. Scared…excited, anxious for him. I remember the way I felt when he got into that black van. I was terrified._

_Terrified that he'd never come back—that I would never see those beautiful eyes ever again._

_It would be nine years before I saw him again._

* * *

"Oh, mom. Don't cry." I pleaded, "We're in public."

_You'll make me cry._

"I'm not crying," Mom snapped tearfully, dabbing watery eyes with a napkin, "I'm just so happy for you. _Both_ of you."

"We're just so proud you've deciding to pursue your dreams… we're going to miss you girls." Ino's stepmother, Mikoto added, wiping below her cheek roughly.

"Mom _c'mon_. It's not like we're moving permanently across the world," Ino smiled as she rolled her eyes affectionately, "And don't worry Ms. Haruno, I'll take good care of Sakura."

"I know…just make sure you call me—"

"You girls better be on your best behavior—"

"Yes, we know."

"We promise."

"_Passengers departing on flight A26, please make your way to gate 34B. Passengers departing on flight A26, please make your way to gate 34B."_

"I guess…that's us." I said softly, turning to Ino almost reluctantly. I wasn't surprised to see my expression mirrored in hers.

And it suddenly hit me. What if what we were doing was the wrong thing? What if leaving home was a mistake?

I exhaled violently, a dangerous fear stirring in my gut. The realization was almost too much to handle. We were leaving our world, our comfort zone for a new, foreign world—a world we had no clue about.

"Sakura…shoot for the moon." Mom breathed, touching my cheek.

I felt a lump rise at the base of my throat at the familiar saying. It had been something my mother had been preaching to me all my life.

_Even if I m__iss it…I'll land amongst the stars._

* * *

_"Ladies and gentlemen, we are beginning our descent to Haneda Airport, Tokyo. We will be arriving in approximately thirty minutes."_

"Ino, get up, we're almost here." I hissed, and swatted at my best friend half-heartedly.

"Mmmmfffrhh." She groaned, turned her head, and shifted away from me. A headphone dropped from one ear.

"Sleepy head." I sighed, looking out the window. My stomach flipped nervously; we were almost there…

The plane ride had been quiet and long. It had been my second time taking the plane, however I deemed myself a natural flyer. At least compared to Ino. I was more or less relieved she had found time to sleep on the plane—it was better than throwing up her lunch.

"Fine, I'll just find myself another source of entertainment." I muttered eyeing the screen in front of me and plugged in a set of headphones. I scanned the choices of television and immediately picked 'Tokyo's Top 40'.

_I wonder what kind of music they listen to._

Instantly, a band came onto the screen. The screen zeroed onto the singer, a girl with frizzy bright blue hair down to her shoulders. She was wearing a ripped up t-shirt and leather shorts and she was banging her head to the music. She looked fierce and gorgeous—definitely not someone I'd want to mess with. Once she opened her mouth to sing, I found myself surprised to hear a voice that was hard, rugged and husky.

Then the screen zoomed into the rest of band, equally as hard-core and extreme. The next shot was of their crimson-haired drummer, his whole body moving to the music. He wore a black oversized t-shirt, cut up jeans, and dangling from his neck was a silver chain. I smiled a little when I realized his eyes were closed; his hair was plastered to sides of his face with sweat. There was something enthralling about the drummer—something I couldn't place. I nodded my head rhythmically—I could get used to music like this.

The keyboardist was a cute blonde who sang along with the singer as he played. His hair was tied into a half ponytail while his bangs covered a large portion of his forehead and right eye. He wore a simple leather jacket and grey jeans. There was something about his expression that made him seem like the least intimidating one of them all.

The last shot was of the guitarists. There were two, one on either side of the lead singer. The guitarist on the right was jamming on his guitar, bobbing a head of orange hair with the music like everyone else.

But it was the guitarist on the left side that I was unable to tear my gaze away from. I felt a sickening thud in my stomach and for a moment I was unable to draw air. There was nothing that stood out from the guitarist in particular. He was singing along with the rest of the band, he was wearing the same grunge-type clothing, playing his guitar with equal emotion.

It's just—the moment he stared into the camera I felt the blood drain from my face and my heart slammed painfully against my chest. My breath came out in broken pants as I felt tears collecting in the corner of my eyes.

_No…those eyes…_

_No it can't be…_

"F-Fuck." I whispered, bringing a hand on top of my mouth. Without looking away from the screen, my hand flew to Ino's arm.

"I-Ino…Ino, wake up." I stammered, my voice on edge of hysteria.

"Mmmm…are we here?" Ino grumbled, slowly sliding her eyes open.

"Ino. It's…look…I—" My words spilled incoherently.

"What? What is it?" Ino yawned, leaning over.

I couldn't reply anymore due to the closing up of my throat.

"Sakura? What…what's wrong?" Ino asked, sitting up straighter. Sleep was wafting out of her eyes as she turned to face me. There was a panicked look on her face as I frantically pointed to what I couldn't rip my gaze away from.

She turned to the screen.

And then she screamed.

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

I couldn't control the horrified screech emitting from my throat.

"Shhh!" The passengers around us hushed.

"Sorry…" Sakura mumbled on my behalf, but still didn't look away from the small screen.

"How…" I didn't understand—he left us, all of us for…_that_.

Unexpectedly, the camera zoomed in on him—capturing his dark hair and matching eyes. He disgusted me, but I still wanted to take in every image of him. I wanted to take in what we've been missing for nine whole years.

_"—and thank you for choosing Japan Airlines."_

Like a zombie, I grabbed my purse and lead Sakura out of the aircraft. She seemed dazed as well, barely even walking straight. Once we claimed our luggage and checked into our hotel, we both decided to shower.

I unpacked while she went ahead first. His face on that tiny screen still haunted me. He looked the same, but something definitely wasn't right. It bothered me that I couldn't quite place my finger one it.

**Flashback:**

_"Promise to call us." My stepmother smoothed his hair down and kissed the top of his head._

_"I will." Was his curt reply._

_"Don't get into too much trouble." He ruffled his younger brother's hair, and then turned towards me._

_"Never…" I stared at the ground, "…never forget us."_

_I thought of Sakura, father, my stepmother, and Sasuke._

_He knelt down to reach my eye level, "I won't."_

_"Promise?" I looked up at him with determination. I was determined to make him swear that he'd come home, keep in touch._

_He paused, "I promise."_

_And because I was only nine—that's all it took for me to let him go._

"Earth to Ino…" My pink-haired best friend waved a hand in front of me. She wore a pair of denim shorts and a loose, gray, V-neck top.

"Hm?" I focused my attention on her and shoved away the memories.

"You alright?" Concern crossed her emerald orbs.

"I'm fine, just need a shower." I picked up my clothes and made my way to the bathroom. Once the water was streaming down, hot water hitting my skin—I finally let my tears fall.

About twenty minutes later, I stepped out and got dressed in ripped, denim shorts and a black off-shoulder top. As I walked out, I noticed Sakura staring blankly at the TV.

"I'm sorry," She whispers in disbelief, "but I hate him."

I sat on the edge of the bed next to her, my gaze locked onto the large screen as well. It was the same music video and he was just as unfamiliar to me as the last time I saw this. And maybe for that, I sort of hated him too.

Sakura and I decided to walk around Tokyo, become more comfortable with the area. We squealed at shops and almost drooled at the smell that wafted from ramen stands. This was what we'd been waiting for; this was it.

We stopped in out tracks simultaneously.

"Is that…?" I tried not to gape.

The image of that band was plastered on a giant billboard. The female had a hand on her hip and stared into the camera lens dominantly. He was on her left, a guitar strapped onto him. The other three were posed as well, but I didn't care to even spare even a glance at them.

"EEEEEEEEEK!"

Sakura yelped once the shrill scream reached our ears.

"What the fuck was that?" I looked in all directions, then back to Sakura.

Her eyes looked wild, "I don't know! What the hell! Did you hear a gunshot? What if we—"

I ignored her exaggerated theories and continued searching for the source of the noise. Then my vision narrowed down on a clump of girls. I grabbed Sakura's hand and ran across the street towards them. Soon though, I realized it wasn't just a clump, not even a mob, more like an army of girls were screaming and waving posters frantically.

"What's going on?" Sakura tapped someone on the shoulder before I could even fully take in the scene.

"…You don't _know_?" We both winced at the small girl's passionate yelling.

She wore black-framed glasses with a head of brick red hair and was wearing a black shirt with Itachi's band printed on it. I looked away quickly.

"Sorry…?" We responded.

The girl gawked at us, "You're _joking_."

"Um…" Sakura voiced, avoiding eye contact with her as much as possible.

The little one sighed, "There's a surprise concert tonight. Only Akatsuki's _real _fans would know."

"Aka—what?" I blatantly demanded, pretty much stealing the words out of my best friend's mouth.

I winced at the horrid expression that passed across the redheaded girl's face.

"Okay…it's _not_ funny anymore." The tiny girl brought both hands on her hips, "_Everyone_ knows who Akatsuki is."

"We…don't." Sakura blushed, biting her lip nervously.

Something wasn't right; people were looking at us like we were aliens.

"Akatsuki: Konan, Sasori, Deidara, Pein, and Itachi?" She recited to us matter-of-factly.

"Did you just say…Itachi?" I breathed out.

"He's your favorite too?" She squealed…in my _face_, "God, Itachi Uchiha is the hottest…!"

"Uchiha? His name is Yamanaka." Sakura cocked her head to the side in confusion. I didn't get it either. There was no doubt about it—he was the same Itachi I had lived with for eight years. I could recognize those eyes anywhere. He would never change his name…no, that would be stupid.

"Huh? No…it's Uchiha." She replied slowly, as if she were talking to a pair of five-year-olds.

"Uh, she would know—this is his step-sister." Sakura placed a hand on her hip and pointed at me with her thumb.

A hysterical laugh escaped the fan-girl's mouth, "Yeah and I'm his _girlfriend_!"

But there was something in her eye, a twinkle of competition that sparked across her features in a menacing way. Her face darkened and observed us through wild eyes.

_Fan girls are…scary._

I raised an eyebrow, trying not to roll my eyes. But this was starting to confuse me. And I really wasn't appreciating the sarcasm at the moment. If Itachi were famous, people would at least know about his background. What was going on?

"You obviously _don't_ know who the Akatsuki are, so maybe you should leave." She snapped, her eyes narrowing.

I didn't want to talk to the girl anymore. She was confusing me, I didn't like her hair, and this whole conversation shook me.

My legs moved in some direction I didn't even know, and I felt Sakura follow me suite.

"That girl was…_weird_. Insane." The rosette shook her head.

I agreed quickly, "Yeah, I need to see him."

"You actually want to see him?" She asked, incredulous. But the vulnerable expression that crossed her face dulled the cynicism in her voice.

I shrugged, "I'm here now anyways…"

A short silence passed and Sakura stared hard at the ground, probably trying to tune out the screaming fans.

"Okay, I don't really want to see him." She sighed, raking her fingers through her long pink hair, "I'll go to the library or something for half an hour."

I shot her a skeptical look, "You're going to wander off in a totally different place?"

Ever since I knew Sakura there had been one thing (well, two) she really had trouble with: Direction and Navigation.

I fought the urge to smile at her indignant expression.

"We looked one up yesterday remember? I think I remember how to get there! Plus, I have my cell it'll be totally _fine_."

I nodded reluctantly, "Don't get lost, idiot."

"Psh, me—lost? C'mon." She grinned and waved me off.

"Sakura!" I shouted for her.

She turned to look at me, "What?"

My finger lifted to point in the opposite direction she was headed, "Wrong way!"

She pouted and stormed in the other direction stubbornly. I laughed openly at her child-like expression. Realizing I probably didn't have a lot of time, I pushed my way viciously past the large group of screaming fans. When I finally was able to pass through, a hand gripped me.

"I'm sorry, no fans are allowed in the building." A bodyguard growled, pushing me back.

"I need to speak with Itachi." I snapped impatiently.

"No fans in the building." He repeated sternly.

"But I _really_ need to see him." I hissed, feeling very annoyed.

Did this man not see I wasn't a screaming fan like the hundreds around me?

"I'm sorry. You'll just have to wait until the Akatsuki come out." He snipped but there was a glint of amusement in his eyes, and I felt my body burn with rage.

"Look, I'm not a fan. Itachi knows who I am."

The security guard chuckled, and I fought the urge to kick him.

"Fine, you need proof? Call him and tell him Ino, his step-sister, is here."

"What?" The bodyguard yelled, trying to hear over the noise of the crowd.

I repeated my words…on the verge of screaming.

"That's—"

_"Just. Fucking. Call. Him."_ I snarled, taking a step forward.

I watched intently as the guard punched something into his phone with exasperation.

"Hey. It's me. Yeah…I've got this crazy fan claiming she's Itachi Uchiha's step-sister…No…she's determined…I just thought it would be faster to…yes. Ino. Or something. Kay bye."

The guard sighed.

"What? What did he say?" I demanded, crossing my arms.

"Clearly he doesn't know you so please just leave me—"

He was cut off by the sound of his phone. Sighing again and mumbling something along the lines of 'I'm going to be fired', he picked up his phone.

"What?" His eyes widened, "Let her in? ...Itachi said that? Uh. Okay…sure."

I couldn't help smile triumphantly at the sudden sheepish look I got from the guard.

"Uhm, yeah you can go in."

I entered the large building, but not before shooting him a smirk.

There was another bodyguard standing in front of the receptionist who greeted me, "Hi, how can I help you?"

"I'm here to see Itachi Yama—I mean, Uchiha. Itachi Uchiha."

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

_I waited for him for as long as I could. I always hoped he'd come home. I wished on every star to see him again—if only for a short while. I could see how much pain his absence had caused for his family. Still…I trusted he would come back to us._

_But he never did. And it hadn't been long before I lost all hope._

_Five years I waited, I believed in him._

_I guess the next four years I stopped._

* * *

_Shit…am I lost?_

I had to admit, I was starting to feel slightly overwhelmed by just how _huge_ Tokyo was. And map reading wasn't really a particular talent for me.

I'd never been great at navigating my way around places and I blame it on my love for living and being in the moment—though Ino would just call it an excuse.

I sighed, turning my head from side to side. I was almost glad Ino wasn't with me because I knew she would be smirking or sighing—one of the other just about now.

Someone called in the distance.

I sighed, debating whether to call Ino.

_You can't call her, she'll yell at you! She's going to—_

"Hey! Miss!"

_She'll call you airheaded again…then she'll—_

"Miss! Hello? _Lady!_"

_She'd never let you live it down…like all those other times—_

"Miss! Get off the street!"

I abruptly turned my head in annoyance.

Would the 'Miss' or _whoever_ just answer already?

"You! Pink-hair girl! You're in the middle of the road!"

I turned, and widened my eyes in surprise.

There was a honking car coming at me. _Honking._

"Oh shit!" I shouted, lunging in the other direction, barely missing the car.

Instantly there was a hand on my arm, but I ignored it to catch my breath.

"Are you okay?" A concerned but disbelieving voice rang. A strong hand steadied me as I slowly faced the owner of the voice.

"Yeah! I'm fine, thanks!" I grinned, reddening with chagrin.

"What were you doing? You almost got killed!" The stranger, a boy around my age croaked. He was just taller than me, and had shaggy brown hair. He was dressed in a plain green shirt, with black denim. There was a black guitar case strapped on his back, hanging loosely. He had big brown eyes—eyes that reminded me of a puppy and I smiled subconsciously.

I tried to ignore the fact that right now those eyes were looking at me like I was some special needs case.

"…Are you…"

"Huh? Oh yes! Don't worry I was just thinking—I was, yes…"

_What the hell am I saying?_

"I'm totally fine." I finished at last, shooting him, what I hoped looked like, a normal smile.

"Well, that's good." The boy replied, unsure.

"Thank you for, uhm, snapping me out of my reverie. I tend to live in my own little world…" I trailed off when I realized I was really starting sound like a head case.

"No problem…you're new around here, aren't you?" he asked, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"Yeah, this is my first time in Tokyo." I laughed, tucking a wayward strand of pink hair behind my ear.

"You look like a newbie." He nodded, "I'm Kiba by the way," he held out a hand.

I shook it and beamed at him, "Sakura."

"You going to be okay, Sakura?" Kiba smiled, gesturing to the road.

"Oh yeah. Don't worry." I reassured. I wasn't about to go tell him I needed help finding the library after that embarrassment.

"Okay…well, it was—" He replied, stepping backwards.

"I guess I—" I started.

There was an awkward pause.

"I guess I better be going." I smiled, trying not to die on spot, "I owe you one."

He only nodded. There was a mildly serious expression on his face, as if he were contemplating something.

I turned around and began walking quickly as possible.

_Well that was certainly very awkward and I hope Ino never finds out—_

I had only made it a few meters away when I felt a hand grab my arm.

"Uh—"

"Hey, I feel kinda bad just leaving you. Since you're outsider and all…" Kiba said, running a hand self-consciously through his hair, "You wanna grab a coffee or something?"

"Oh no…that's not necessary, really. I mean, you probably have somewhere to be." I stammered, feeling a threatening blush creep up my neck.

"I have time, c'mon you owe me, remember?" He teased, though his eyes flicked side to side in an anxious gesture.

I smiled despite myself and rolled my eyes humorously. I flicked a glance down at my phone. I still had time. Maybe making friends with people here wasn't such a bad idea. In fact, maybe this was a sign that I needed to socialize in Tokyo. One coffee wouldn't be so bad, would it?

"Oh alright, if you insist."

* * *

"So you're with your best friend, huh?" Kiba squinted his eyes, a thoughtful expression crossing his features.

"Yeah her names Ino. We moved here to, well, pursue our dreams." I answered happily.

"Oh yeah?" Kiba leaned back into his chair, taking a sip of his coffee, "And what's your dream?"

"Uhm." I looked down.

I heard him chuckle, "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

At that, I perked up genuinely interested, "Fine. I want to be a writer."

He raised an eyebrow, "Cool, like a journalist?"

"Something like that." I replied, "What about you?" I leaned in and rested my chin on my laced fingers.

It was his turn to blush, "I like to play the guitar." He pointed to the black case placed under his feet.

"So you're a guitarist." I grinned, "That's awesome."

_He's a guitarist too._

I felt my smile evaporate.

"Yeah, I guess." Kiba replied, staring out the window beside us.

I scrambled to place a mask on top of my face.

"So are you in a band or something?" I forced a smile.

"Something like that." he mimicked playfully, taking another swig.

I stuck my tongue out, eliciting a chuckle from him.

"I bet you're good." I crossed my arms, leaning back.

Watching him squirm, I had to admit, was entertaining.

"Maybe." He played with his cup.

"Do you have a favorite type of music?"

"Rock, mostly." He said smirking, "So you planning on applying for any jobs here?"

"Yeah, a few. I have one tomorrow actually. But…I'm not entirely sure what exactly I want to do." I sighed, picking up my cup.

I looked up when Kiba didn't reply.

I was surprised when I met his intent gaze.

"I'm sure you'll be great. Whatever is it you do."

My phone rang before I could reply.

Distracted, I grabbed my white blackberry from my pocket and stared at the screen.

"Take it." Kiba urged, the strange atmosphere gone.

"Thanks," I replied gratefully, bringing the phone to my ear, "Ino?"

_"Sakura…I need to talk…it didn't go well…" _Ino's frantic sobbing blasted through the phone and I instantly stiffened.

"Ino? Ino. _Calm _down. What happened?"

_"He's…he doesn't care! He doesn't fucking care! He never did…I hate him, I hate him!"_

Sudden and abrupt anger fired into my system as my hands tightened on my phone. Across from me, I saw Kiba mouth, "Is everything okay?"

I shook my head, biting my lip.

"Ino. Okay where are you? …I'll be right there. Don't move." I grounded out, hanging up.

"I'm sorry, something's come up." I panted, standing up.

"Is there anything I can do?" Kiba asked, cocking his head to side. His eyebrows were knit together, as he got up from his seat.

"No, don't worry. I just have to meet Ino. Thank you for everything, Kiba. You've been so kind. I wish I could repay you…" I trailed off, pushing the chair back into the table.

"Wait, Sakura—" Kiba started.

"Here's my number…let me pay you back sometime…" I trailed off, jotting my number down on a napkin.

I saw Kiba's shoulders slump in defeat, "Alright, I hope everything goes okay."

"Yeah." I smiled weakly, "Me too."

Then I exited the café and began to run.

* * *

**A/N: **Hey everyone! This is the first chapter of a collaboration story with _**tornupleather**_. She'll be writing Ino's perspective and I'll be writing Sakura's part. :) This plot bunny came up when we were busy daydreaming about going to Tokyo in the summer. Couldn't wait so we decided to write a little something. (We're praying for everyone in Japan!) Anyways, tell us what you think!

_**P.S.**__ Ino's father remarried Mikoto, the mother of Itachi and Sasuke. So that would make Itachi and Sasuke Ino's step-brothers. (Weird, yes, we know.)_

_Reviews appreciated!_ ^_^


	2. Blind Rage

**Disclaimer: **We do not own Naruto

**Title:** Landing Amongst the Stars

**Genre:** Romance/Drama/Angst

* * *

**LANDING AMONGST THE STARS**

Chapter Two:_ Blind Rage_

A collaboration by _**Winter Psyche **_and _**tornupleather**_

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

I watched the receptionist pick up the phone to make a call, "There's a girl—oh, alright."

She hung up and turned towards me, "He'll be down in twenty minutes, please have a seat."

_Of course he's going to make me wait…_

I took a seat on one of the stiff leather futons and looked around. There was a short coffee table before me, gossip magazines spread neatly across. The marble floor looked cold, but diligently polished. I wasn't about to die of boredom, so I picked up on of the magazines and began skimming through.

My heart sank deeper and deeper as pictures of Itachi and his band flitted across the pages. I bit my lip; he really was doing great for himself.

As I was reading the magazine, I couldn't help wondering if…he had ever thought of us. During his fame, he would've at least thought of home once, right? No one could just change all of a sudden, so maybe it wasn't too late to bring him back. He could still—

"Miss." Automatically, I shut the magazine and turned to the source of the voice—a tall man dressed in black held out a hand for me, "This way, please."

I assumed he was one of Akatsuki's bodyguards or something. He led me to the front of a steel door, "He's right through here."

"Thanks." I breathed out, not paying attention to the fact that he'd already left.

My step-brother was behind these doors. The same one who walked out with the promise of returning and never did. I didn't know if I really wanted to see him anymore—the face that left my parents broken hearted and Sasuke vengeful.

Tears stung my vision, but I blinked them back quickly.

I wasn't going to cry anymore—not for him.

My hand twisted the doorknob as I mentally prepared myself.

"Ino." Itachi didn't turn his gaze to meet my fearful one. He was sitting on one of two couches, a glass of champagne in his hand.

"Itachi…" I said, my voice cracking. He was wearing dark denim and a black V-neck t-shirt, a dog tag hung loosely around his neck, reaching just below his chest. But more importantly, he wasn't looking at me. He was looking straight ahead.

"Why are you here?" He spoke monotonously, swirling his cup carelessly.

I felt my breath hitch. This wasn't him—this wasn't the Itachi I knew. The one who was always the one to cheer me up…the one who could smile through anything.

And realization dawned on me. I…_we_ lost him. A long time ago. His warm presence had vanished, that calming aura was gone.

"Why am I here?" I repeated his words slowly, "I'm here because Mother is heart broken, Sasuke hates you, and the whole village believes you're _never_ coming back!"

He scoffed bitterly, "They're right."

"So you really—you're really not coming home…?" My anger faltered for a moment and I stared at him in disbelief. He wouldn't do this, not to me, not to Mikoto.

"This is my home." He stated quietly, his expression unreadable.

At his words, I curled my hands into fists.

"You've let a lot of people down…I hope you know that." My voice went low and I drawled out my words as carefully and cruelly as possible.

I needed to make sure he understood how badly his absence hurt us. I wanted to make him feel guilty, regretful…anything. Did he really think that leaving us without a mere backwards glance was _okay_? I wanted to shout at him, hit him…but I couldn't move.

Maybe he needed to be reminded that we cared about him before all this. We were a part of his life first. I was determined to bring him home, to find him again.

"I know." He closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, "There isn't anything I can do, Ino. This is my life now."

"You could've at least called. Did you know it was your mother's birthday last week?" I didn't take my eyes off his still figure. He seemed flawlessly emotionless and I absolutely loathed it.

He gradually slid his dark orbs open and faced me. Our eyes locked and I froze at the sudden chill that shot down my spine. His eyes pierced through mine like a dart, "…Was it now?"

Lies. That was a lie. He was _lying_. He just wanted me to think he didn't remember, his mother, my step-mother, meant the world to him.

"Stop pretending that you don't care!" I screamed at him. Once my voice escaped, so did the tears. I couldn't help myself.

No words. He simply stared at me unflinching—a dull look in his once vibrant eyes. There was nothing there anymore, I realized; just a pit of darkness. The boy I happily grew up with, the boy I _loved_ wasn't there. He wasn't _here_.

"To me you're all just," he looked up at the ceiling, selecting his words carefully, "…a distant memory I need to erase."

At this, his eyes grew cold, his voice hard, "Do not come again."

If it were possible to see a heart break, you would see mine shattering. You would hear it snapping from across the world, feel it crashing down like a meteor.

"I hate you." I whispered, a tear streaking down my face.

"You can hate me." Itachi nodded, unwavering, "It's easier if you hate me. But I have one request."

Before I could say anything, he continued, "I want to leave my past behind me. It would be best if nobody knew who you were or where you came from."

"If it's going to be like that then you're dead to me..." I made sure to speak with a voice that equaled his frosty demeanor, "...to all of us."

He scrutinized me, searching my tear-stained face for any sign of a bluff. But I was serious, because I understood something as I walked out those doors. And damn did it feel good walking out on him this time, having had the last word.

_We didn't lose him. He lost us._

And even though I left that damned room broken and tears pouring down my cheeks, I knew things would be okay. Because I hated him. I'd get over this, whatever this was and move on. I chanted those words back and forth in my mind like a mantra.

But I hated how much pain I was in, I needed to be consoled. I picked up the phone and speed-dialed the only person I wanted to even speak to at the moment.

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

_My father left my mother a few years later. The reason why, was unknown. Or at least that's what my mother told me. I didn't believe her, but I didn't push for an answer either. Things then had been hard. I began pulling away from the people around me. I lost touch with many friends, only because I didn't reach out to them. All except one. Maybe it was because she knew what I was going through. Maybe it was because I knew she understood. Because the same thing had happened to her. A person she cared about had left her too._

* * *

_Blind rage._

It had been the catalyst for my next move. I didn't care what the fuck happened next. All I knew was that I was going to find Itachi and skin him. Or something of the like.

Ino showed me the building she had met Itachi in. She was against me going to meet him at first, but I had been able to convince her somewhat. I shoved past the fans aggressively, my anger fueling my strength. I was slightly surprised when the security guards that surrounded the building made way for Ino and I, though I didn't question why. I was grateful there was no hassle. However, I didn't miss the way one guard especially, turned red at the sight of Ino and scrambled to open the door for us.

I marched through the door, pulling Ino along with my hand. I paused when she halted, causing me to skid to a stop, "Ino?"

"Sakura I just…I don't want to see him. I hate him. Can't we just leave and never come back?" Ino whimpered tugging on my arm, her bright blue eyes round with a kind of vulnerability I recognized. I sighed, trying to quell the fury brewing at the pit of my stomach.

"Ino, this is not okay. He can't do this to you." I replied, knitting my eyebrows together with concern.

_He has no right making you feel this way._

"Sakura—"

"You had your go with him, it's my turn now." I growled, pulling her along.

"May I help you?" A receptionist inquired, lifting a perfectly done eyebrow. I noted she had probably been watching our little exchange.

"Yes. I'm here to see Itachi." I said dryly, eyeing the bodyguard that was standing a few meters away.

"I see…" Said the receptionist tiredly, "I'm sorry but the Akatsuki are in the middle of a recording."

I smiled, fighting the urge to scowl, "Itachi knows who I am."

"Yes, and he _knew_ who your friend was too." The receptionist snapped, crossing her arms. I felt Ino shrink away behind me and I glowered at the girl.

"Look, I—"

"Sorry I'm late, TenTen! Has the recording started yet?" A man with long white hair cut me off as he entered the building, sauntering up to the receptionist.

"M-Mr. Jiraya. Good morning." The lady known as TenTen stuttered, glancing at him, then at us, anxiously.

"And who are these young, lovely maidens?" the man grinned, stopping right at the desk next to me.

"Who, them? They're nobody, they—" TenTen stammered.

"My name is Sakura and this is Ino." I replied automatically, "And you are…?"

I watched him chuckle, followed by a nervous titter from TenTen.

"Me? Call me Jiraya." He smiled and I felt Ino tugged viciously on my arm.

"You _idiot_. You don't know who Jiraya is? He's a famous music manager. He and his business parter own like…every single record label in the music industry." Ino hissed in my ear and I blushed immediately.

_He sure doesn't look like a band manager…he could be a construction worker for all I know..._

"What can I do for ya?" Jiraya clucked, rolling up his sleeves.

I was suddenly self-conscious, "Uhm well we're here to speak with…Itachi."

I watched Jiraya tilt his head to the side with curiosity, "What's your relationship with Itachi?"

Ino's body stiffened at the question and I stared at the floor, "I used to be a friend. And this is his—"

But Ino cut in quickly, "I'm a friend too."

Jiraya stayed silent for a moment, and I briefly wondered if he would kick us out.

_He probably thinks we're crazy fans trying to reach him…_

"Well, any friend of Itachi is a friend of mine!" Jiraya beamed, gesturing us to follow him towards the elevator.

"But Mr. Jiraya! Itachi said—" TenTen began frantically.

"I'll take care of it, thanks." Jiraya called, not turning back.

Silence fell on us as we all entered the elevator. I felt Ino squeeze my arm for a second and I squeezed back. Despite my outward appearance I was slowly becoming aware of the fact and I was going to see Itachi in a matter of seconds. Somebody I hadn't seen in nine years. My heart pounded thunderously and I forced myself to calm down by taking in a few deep breaths.

"Itachi's friend never visited him before." Jiraya spoke, breaking the tense silence, "Why now so suddenly?"

"This is our first time visiting Tokyo." Ino explained quietly, her voice slightly quivering.

"We just thought we'd just visit him, to see how he's doing." I elaborated tensely.

Jiraya didn't reply, but I noticed there was a slight smirk etched on his mouth…

…Almost as if he didn't buy it.

_But if he didn't believe us…why was he letting us meet Itachi?_

"I see." Was all he said as he walked through the elevator doors, waving for us to follow.

"Sakura…" Ino whispered, "This isn't a good idea… the manager is here and—"

"I know. But…I don't care."

I dragged Ino from behind me, following Jiraya. We were led into a studio, music blasting from inside.

_"Now it's destroyed, we were so young. I couldn't feel you anymore, under the sun…"_

A sweet, raw voice rang out as we entered the studio. For a second I was stunned into silence. I had never heard a voice like that…

_"Maybe it was just a dream. A reminiscence of a scream, that sounded like a nightmare. Babe, your face just as fair…"_

The owner of that heavenly voice came into view and I recognized him right away. Unlike the music video I had seen on the plane, the vocalist wasn't the blue-haired girl, and the music wasn't hardcore. It was slow, trance-like and it was the keyboardist with the blonde hair singing. I felt Ino stopped just behind me, and I wondered if she was just as blown away as I was.

Slowly, the rest of the band came into full view, but I found I was held by the singer's voice.

Suddenly there was an ear-splitting noise and I was immediately snapped back into the present. I watched confused, as my expression was mirrored in the singer's.

"What the _hell_?"

"What—"

"_Itachi_—"

"What are you doing?" The flame-haired drummer was the last to speak, facing the guitarist.

But the guitarist wasn't looking at his band mates.

He was staring right at me.

And I couldn't breathe.

I mildly felt Ino shivered behind me, exhaling quickly.

Then his eyes shifted to his manager, a murderous glare emitting from his eyes.

"Why are _they_ here?"

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

_"What are _you_ doing here?" The boy snarled, but his threat was weakened when a whimper escaped his mouth. He stared at Itachi with a look of extreme hatred and fear. I cowered behind Itachi, gripping the hem of his clothes._

_"I'm here to give you this." My step-brother bent down and handed the boy a pencil._

_The boy snatched the writing utensil out of Itachi's grasp and glared hard at me, "Is that all?"_

_Itachi turned and nudged me, "Ino, do you have anything to say?"_

_I remember being reluctant, not wanting to speak at all. Something in his eyes though, there was a soft, comforting tenderness._

_"I'm sorry I broke your pencil." I murmured with my head down._

_"And…?" Itachi prodded, his voice soft._

_"And I'm…I'm sorry I called you a big baby." I mumbled._

_Surprise came to me that I felt relieved, as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Then I felt embarrassed—I don't know why, but I felt shameful. So I ran as fast as I could, blond hair whipping behind me. He didn't run after me, I think he knew that I had needed to be alone. He waited until nightfall to search for me. I was always in the same spot, right behind a bush of lavender rhododendrons—they were my favorite because they only bloomed in the springtime._

_A small bento box was placed before me and he took a seat next to me, "Mother made your favorite."_

_I could smell the mouthwatering unagi and rice, but had a little too much pride to eat. My ears picked up the sound of his chuckle, "Just eat, silly."_

_Immediately, I picked up the chopsticks and peeled open the box carefully, allowing the aroma to waft my way. Then, I practically inhaled the delicious food._

_I felt him watching me, but I didn't say anything. I suddenly noticed that he'd brought his guitar with him._

_"You brought your guitar?" I peered at him curiously._

_He snapped open the case and pulled out the wooden instrument, "Yeah, thought I'd show you something I'd been working on."_

_I loved being the first one to hear his music; it always soothed me, something else though—I loved being trusted by Itachi. I knew he didn't usually play for other people and knowing this simple fact made me warm on the inside._

_"No lyrics this time, but…" He trailed off and became focused on his guitar. I was always interested in watching him play; he always looked so peaceful and just…happy._

_He began to pluck at the strings quietly, the transitioned into chords and relaxed strumming. I closed my eyes and lay down, resting on his lap and relaxed while I pictured his face in my mind. He sat at the base of an evergreen tree, one knee bent up and the other straight out to accommodate my head. I could see why so many girls liked him. I mean…he was definitely very handsome. But I didn't care much for that, his heart was a good one and he liked showing it._

_The soft melody rang away as he plucked the last guitar string. As always, I gawked and hoped for more, but disappointment settled in as he put away his beloved Gibson._

_"That was…_really,_ really good." I was in elementary school and 'good' was the only adjective I could think of. If I were to describe that tune now, I'd probably use something more appropriate like 'breathtaking'._

_"You're going to be famous one day, I just know it!" I exclaimed, suddenly excited._

_There was a pause as he drummed the top of his case playfully._

_"C'mon." He sat up and slung the guitar case over his shoulder, "Mother's worried."_

_Right away I stood up and patted the grass off my pants._

_He led us out of the fields and back to our small house._

**xxx**

"Thought you might want to see some old friends." Jiraya smirked challengingly at Itachi, who glared hard at Sakura, then slid the harsh gaze towards me, then to her again.

I still didn't want to believe it, but I did. He just didn't care anymore and there was no hope in even trying.

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

"_Friends? _Is that what they said?"

I felt the hairs rise at the back of my neck and averted my eyes quickly. I had no time to register that I was talking to his man in person. This person that had left…so many years ago.

I stiffened, my whole my tensing in frustration and fear. This is what he had to say?

After all these years?

…Who the _fuck_ was he?

"Forgetful, aren't we?" I heard myself say in a cold tone, "First it's your name and now it's your friends."

I didn't let him speak. My voice was hard, laced with sarcasm and mock sympathy.

"Oh and let's not forget, telephone numbers, addresses… you must've forgotten all those things too. What happened on the plane ride here, Itachi? Did you bump your head? Were you diagnosed with amnesia? Because no _bastard_ in hell would leave their family behind on purpose." I snarled.

Suddenly the studio was deathly quiet. But the rage still burned deep in my gut, stifling any fear I had.

It was the blue-haired girl that spoke first, "Who the fuck are you?" she glared at me then at Jiraya, "Who the fuck is she?"

"Whoa, sick life. I had no idea you had amnesia, Itachi. Is that why you never talk 'bout your past?" The blonde-haired singer mused, turning to face Itachi then back at me with a confused expression.

"I thought crazy fan girls weren't allowed to be here!" came the girl's shrill voice—definitely not what I first heard in the music video.

"We're not fans. Trust me." I clarified quickly.

"Then what are you? Some insane anti-fans—"

"Konan, shush. Obviously these girls aren't fans...or anti-fans." The drummer sighed, setting his drumsticks down. For a moment, all eyes turned to the crimson-haired artist. He shrugged indifferently, regarding me with a cool stare. For a split second I could've sworn he smirked.

"Jiraya. What's the meaning of this?" Itachi hissed, tightening his grip on his guitar before placing in down.

"It seems that you've upset some people, Itachi." Jiraya said calmly, "I'll leave it to you." And with that, Jiraya walked out, leaving us.

"Get _out. _You don't belong here." Itachi snapped, taking a step towards me. In my periphery, I saw Ino shiver and step back, a hopeless repulsion sinking in her face.

"Go to_ hell,_ Itachi. You can't tell me what to do." I was disgusted at how childish I sounded. How was it that he could_ still_ make me feel like such a kid?

There was a shocked pause.

"Still got that temper. I guess I didn't forget everything." I heard him mutter softly, and my eyes widened, breaking the silence. He sounded so…_familiar._

That…was definitely wasn't what I was expecting. The anger and shock was gone, leaving Itachi with an unreadable expression.

"Still just a _girl_." He added, condescendingly.

I struggled to gain control. I knew what he was doing. And I knew it only too well. He had done it many times before and because I had been younger then—it had always worked.

Well not this _fucking_ time.

_"Don't."_ I snapped.

Itachi cocked his head to the side, a cruel smile plastered on his lips.

"Go home, you don't belong here." Itachi sighed, his voice hypnotic.

I dug my nails into my hands.

"Don't treat me like a child." I whispered.

When I realized how weak that sounded, I cleared my throat, "How could you? How could you just leave…?" _Your family. Your friends…Ino…me?_

I knew _he _knew I was scrambling to control my emotions.

"It's my life." Itachi answered, narrowing his eyes.

"I can't believe you." I grounded out shakily.

I wanted to scream. How the hell could he do this? How could he leave his family friends…without a single backwards glance?

The pain was outshining the fury and it was tearing me up. My vision blurred as I fought the rising lump in my chest.

_He left us. He didn't even care. He doesn't care._

"There's nothing and _nobody_ for me back home." Itachi said calmly. And by the look in his eyes he knew…he had just delivered the final blow.

Then I heard Ino whimper behind me.

And that's when the rage came firing back, through all my senses, through my whole body.

I was, simply, the product of rage.

"You're an _asshole_. You know that?" I snarled, stepping forward.

Itachi stayed silent, his jaw set in defiance.

"You may be an asshole, Itachi," I continued, my wrath spewing my next words, "But deep down I think you're just a scared little _boy_ who doesn't know what the _fuck_ he wants!"

Itachi flinched, taken aback by my words.

I couldn't stop the triumphant feeling blooming inside me.

Because I knew.

I was hitting him in a place that _hurt_.

_I learn quickly—and from the best._

"_Careful_, Sakura."

"A scared little boy, Itachi," I continued lividly, "Who pushes people away, because he's too fucking_ frightened_—"

"Sakura!" he snarled, slashing the air with a hand, _"Enough!"_

"—of his own feelings." I shook my head in realization, lost in my own thoughts, "You're just a boy—"

I was cut off by a painful grab at my wrists.

"Don't _touch_ me." I snapped, disgusted.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll shut your mouth." He growled low and menacingly, his breath fanning out across my right ear.

I snorted, "What are you going to do, Itachi? Hit me?"

"Don't tempt me." He gripped harder, his eyes flashing.

"I'm not scared of you." I breathed, not looking up.

"Really? Is _that_ why the second you entered this room, you haven't been able to look me _once_ in the eye?"

I fell silent, staring unseeingly at the floor. He was right of course. I had made sure to take everything in, imprint every gesture, every facial expression—but his eyes. I forced myself to avoid gazing into his eyes.

Maybe because I knew that the moment I did, Ino's expression would be mirrored in mine. Hopeless. Lost. Destroyed.

Maybe because I knew that the moment I did, I would have to accept that we had lost him for good.

I forced myself not to _see _him, because I was afraid once I did...I wouldn't be able to hate him.

And our proximity wasn't helping the situation.

"Get away from me." I seethed, but my voice came out broken, unstable, and fragile.

"Am I so repulsive this way? To you?" He whispered softly, making me aware how close we were.

I shook my head, unable to speak. I was afraid my voice would betray me.

"Fine." He said the word with a tone of finality as he let go of my arms.

"This is me, Sakura. Take a good look. Because I'm not the same person you knew nine years ago."

"Clearly." I screwed up my eyes with pain. "Clearly we're different people."

"Just me." He answered with a solemn voice and no hesitation, "You haven't changed at all."

I expelled a shaky breath, my eyes always on the floor, "Earlier, you told Ino to forget you. Well, you've always gotten what you wanted."

I slowly raised my eyes, a strange serenity enveloping me, and met his.

And I flinched at what I saw in those dark, smoky orbs.

A single flame, flickering against the world. Struggling to kept from being snuffed out. Dying.

But for a moment I saw him. Only for a _second_.

Then he was gone, returning beneath the mask of emotionless demeanor. The vulnerable child I saw had disappeared.

But because I wasn't strong enough, I walked out the doors of the studio with Ino following right behind.

* * *

**A/N: **Hey, it's **tornupleather**! So as you guys know I write Ino's part and I actually get emotional sometimes! I'm pretty sure **Winter Psyche** does too. Itachi's kind of a jerk, but no worries—it'll get better! (Maybe...hehe.)

_**Anyways, thanks for reading and tell us if you like it :)**_


	3. Ignorance

**Disclaimer: **We do not own Naruto.

**Title:** Landing Amongst the Stars

**Genre:** Romance/Drama/Angst

* * *

**LANDING AMONGST THE STARS**

Chapter Three: _Ignorance_

A collaboration by **_Winter Psyche_ **and** _tornupleather_**

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

The pain in my chest—that tightening—did not go away even as we made our way back home. I just didn't understand how one could change so drastically. Why would he want to forget us? Why was he so ashamed of us?

"I just don't get it!" Sakura thrashed and rolled out of her bed with a huff, her green eyes shut tight, eyebrows knit together as if she were concentrated on something.

I sighed, glancing upwards.

"He used to be so…"

The seriousness of her tone surprised me and I turned from my spot in my own bed to face her.

Her eyes were open now, a distant expression on her face.

"So…?" I pried, a strange desperation enveloping me.

"Nothing." She shook her head and gazed blankly at the floor.

I tried to lighten up the mood, "You're weird."

She shrugged, laughing nervously as she slowly got up to button her coat, "I have an job interview in 30 minutes, so I'll probably be back later this evening. Any plans?"

I hesitated, unsure how to proceed. I knew that Sakura wouldn't be happy with what I was about to say, but I knew that I had to say it.

"I think that…well, there's an Akatsuki concert tonight..." I slowly drawled out, speaking cautiously. Even though we were both freshly pissed off, I couldn't shake the fact that he was my brother—and I needed to see him again. Even if it were for the last time.

Her hands froze on the third button.

I held my breath as Sakura's expression slowly changed.

"And you're thinking about going." She said quickly, deadpan.

I cringed slightly, "I just...think that..." I tried again, "Don't you want to see…?" _What he left us for…?_

"No, I don't." Her voice was firm and I knew nothing would change her mind.

The desperation I had felt before began to seep in again.

"Why though?" I pressed quietly, my voice rising slightly.

"_Because_, Ino!" She looked towards the ceiling exasperatedly, covering her face with her hands, "All he's done is hurt the people who care about him! You, me, Mikoto, Sasuke, Naruto…"

I gripped at the sheets tightly, trying to find a way to change her mind. It was true that he didn't do anything for us for the past eight years, but that all didn't matter to me. Now that we were here, now that we _saw_ him again…

"This isn't about me loving him or hating him. This is about just _seeing_ him."

"We did see him."

"But I want to see him _play_."

"Were you not in that room? He doesn't _care_ about anything!" Sakura yelled, turning away from me quickly.

Silence.

"He doesn't care." Sakura whispered, finally facing me. I was shocked to see that tears were running down her face. I felt my throat close up as I fought back my tears.

"He doesn't care about you," Sakura sobbed, smiling pitifully as she shook her head, "And he definitely doesn't care about me."

"Why can't you just…" I murmured quietly, "…understand why I—"

"—Don't." Her voice clipped sharply. I looked up and met her enraged glare; something in my stomach sank for a second. "You know I understand more than anyone in the village. So _don't_ tell me I don't fucking understand."

"He's my _brother_!" I lashed back immediately, still trying to get rid of the knot that formed inside me, "You can't expect me to not want to see him after all this time!"

"He's your _step_brother...and he left you." Sakura replied, her head hung in defeat.

And then I was angry. I could feel it pumping just below the surface of my skin.

"He didn't leave _me_, Sakura," I began, my voice shaking, "He left _home_. He didn't _leave_ the way your dad_ left_ you."

I regretted it just as it came out of my mouth.

My eyes widened in paralyzing shock of what I had just said; Sakura mirroring my expression.

"What...what did you just say?" She exhaled with disbelief.

"Sakura...I..." Terror gripped my voice.

"You don't get it, do you?" She whispered, her eyes crinkled with pain—pain I caused her. "You don't _see _anything! You didn't see _your_ face, Ino. I don't _ever _want to see that face again. And it hurts that he's the reason behind it. He's hurting you and you're my best friend. I can't stand the thought of him because I'm _living _in the pain he caused you!"

_"There's nothing and nobody for me back home."_

Every word that came out of her mouth burned.

Because I knew she was right.

"Sakura—"

"I'm late for my interview..." She mumbled as she steered away quickly towards the exit, grabbing her bag and keys. Her hand hovered over the handle for a split second as if she had something more to say, but she sharply yanked down and slammed the door behind her.

I sighed heavily and flopped back onto my bed as I blinked back tears.

_Shit. That was really bad..._

Part of me knew she was right. All he'd done from the day he stepped onto that plane up until today didn't bring good to anyone. He wasn't the same brother to me as he was eight years ago. He was hurting everyone around him. He wasn't just hurting me, he was hurting my best friend. And that was unforgivable. Maybe it was time to let go and move forward...

**Flashback:**

_"You're Ino, right?" he asked._

_I gripped the back of my Father's pants, frowning at the strangers in my house._

_"Who are they, daddy?" I asked, pointing at the weird boys._

_At this my father laughed, "Ino, we've discussed this, remember? They're your new family, your brothers."_

_"I don't like them!" I pouted, pulling on his pant leg to emphasize my dislike._

_"That's not very nice." My father frowned, and I shrunk further back._

_"It's alright, Inoichi. No need to pressure her into making friends just yet." A soft voice spoke, and at that moment a beautiful woman entered the room._

_I remembered she had kind eyes and she looked like an angel._

_"Ino's just stubborn, that's all." My father reassured the angelic looking woman._

_"Who are you?" I asked, forgetting the boys completely._

_The angel smiled, "I'm your dad's friend. It's so good to meet you finally, Ino."_

_"Are you my daddy's angel?" I asked, smitten._

_The angel widened her eyes then broke out into a smile._

_There was a deep chuckle behind me, but I ignored it._

_"Sasuke, Itachi why don't you boys go run along. I'll call you in for dinner."_

_"I'm going to go over to Naruto's." The smaller boy with spiked hair called and dashed off._

_"I'll be in my room." The taller one replied calmly, taking a step towards me, "I hope we'll be friends, Ino." He smiled before turning to the hallway._

_But I didn't reply, as I truly took in the sight of him in for the first time._

_I was much too star-struck by how much he looked like the beautiful angel._

**xxx**

Sleep was about to overcome me, when the ringing from my phone awoke my senses. I groaned, irritated by the disturbance, and stretched an arm out for my Blackberry. It was only a text message, but the name of the sender instantly lifted my miserable mood.

**Sasuke ****/ May 15****th****, 3:20 PM**

_Hey. Heard you were in Tokyo. Wanna meet up?_

I hadn't heard from my other step brother for a while now, so it was nice seeing his name pop up on my screen.

**Me / May 15th, 3:24 PM**

_Sure. I'm staying at Westin, why don't you drop by and we can grab something to eat._

I got an instant reply, and I couldn't help smiling a bit.

**Sasuke ****/ May 15****th, ****3:25 PM**

_I'll be there in 10._

After the confirmation, I rushed to get dressed, willing myself to forget everything that had just happened. Since it was nice out, I decided on a cream summer dress and paired it with a navy cardigan, brown leather sandals, and a long string of pearls. Once my makeup was redone, I stuffed all my necessities into a black leather tote and exited the hotel room.

I debated whether or not to notify Sakura of this...she was probably in her job interview by now. Remembering our fight, I cringed, feeling worse than ever.

_I can't believe what I said. I shouldn't have mentioned her dad..._

Shaking my head of my thoughts, I jabbed at the elevator button impatiently._  
_

Despite my excitement to see Sasuke, I still felt empty going to see Sasuke without her. This could've been a fun reunion for the three of us, and if Naruto were here it'd be even better.

I smiled subconsciously as I reminisced of the four of us together.

Finally, the elevator arrived and took me down to the lobby where I was greeted by white sofas and marble coffee tables.

I checked my phone for the time and sighed, I'd still have to wait a couple minutes...

"Looking for someone?"

I swiveled around and met deep onyx eyes.

"Sasuke." I breathed out with a relieved smile.

He smirked at me, with that same aloof aura I'd never get sick of.

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

_The interview blowed._

I sighed, combing a hand through my pink tresses as I practically ran out of the building.

The interview didn't go well and I blamed it on one, stubborn blonde girl.

_I hate fighting with her._

I felt the guilt rise in my throat as I remembered my words.

_"He doesn't care about you."_

I shut my eyes, willing my thoughts to wander somewhere else.

"I'm sorry, Ino." I breathed, quickening my pace. I debated whether to call her, but knew that she probably didn't want to talk at the moment.

I rounded a corner, trying to remember the path I had taken to get here.

_Maybe I should just flag a taxi._

As I crossed a street, I noticed a beautiful park. Smiling, I made my way towards it.

Maybe instead of going home right away, it would be better to blow of steam here. Nature always had a calming affect on me, being a country girl and all.

As I approached the garden, I saw a gate and a booth where people were lining up.

_There's a line up to see a garden?_

I ended up paying 200 yen to get in.

The area was large and spacious, ornate structured gardens filled with exquisite trees and flowers surrounding the park. It wasn't too crowded, which I liked.

I ended up seated right underneath a cheery blossom, instantly greeted with sweet floral scents wafting in the air and a warm gust of wind.

_I could stay here forever..._

Suddenly I felt a vibration in my pocket and I pulled out my phone reluctantly.

I cocked my head to the side when my phone read an unidentified number and I momentarily wondered who it could be.

"Hell—"

"SAKURA!"

An explosion of nostalgia flooded my senses at the much too familiar voice.

"Naruto..." I whispered, a grin spreading across my face.

"You're in Tokyo and you didn't tell me? Geez, Sakura I thought we were way closer than that!"

"I'm sorry! I heard that you changed your number...and I...I'm sorry." I stammered guiltily, still trying to overcome the initial shock of hearing his voice.

"Yeah you better be sorry! Where are you? I wanna see you!"

"I want to see you too! Uhm, I'm..." I trailed off, swivelling my head from side to side.

"Oh course you don't know where you are. You haven't changed at all, you airhead." Naruto drawled, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Psh! And you haven't either, nucklehead!" I retorted, jumping to my feet.

Naruto's chuckles filled the other end of the line and I couldn't help but join in.

"Alright, one second. I'm in a park. Somewhere!"

"Sakura, there are like, a million parks In Tokyo."

"Don't exaggerate!"

"Did you have to pay to get in?"

"Yeah...200 yen. Oh! I think I see a sign. It says the 'Shinjuku Gyoen'."

"Oh! I know where that is! Don't move! I'll see you soon!"

"Wait! Naru...to." I trailed off exasperatedly, hearing the dial tone that notified me that he had already hung up.

_Yep, he hasn't changed at all._

I grinned involuntarily as I slumped back against the cherry blossom tree.

It had been months since I saw Naruto. We had been childhood friends back in our small hometown.

Truth was, I missed Naruto. Sometimes I had trouble sleeping because I missed him so much. I missed the way he could make me smile in an instant, the way he was so _Naruto-like_. How he lit up any room with his presence. His nucklehead smiles. There was definitely nobody else like him. He was like the brother I never had.

**Flashback:**

_"Sakura! Naruto's at the door, sweetie!"_

_"Yeah, okay momma." I hollered as I ran downstairs._

_"Hey Naru!" I exclaimed planting a kiss on his cheek._

_"Hey Sakura. I'm going over to Ino's house because Sasuke's living there now. Wanna come with me?"_

_"Yeah! I'll just ask my mom." I smiled, turning around and cupping my mouth with my hands, "Momma, can I go over to Ino's?"_

_She emerged from the kitchen, dressed in an apron, her hands powdered in flour, "Yes you can. But be home for dinner. Naruto, you're welcome to join us if you like."_

_"Thanks Ms. Haruno. You make the best food. Well, besides Ichirakus, but nobody can beat Ichi." Naruto grinned sheepishly as my mother's laughter filled the room._

_"You kids have fun. Be careful and be on your best behavior."_

_"We will!" Naruto and I replied in unison._

_"Sasuke's so lucky he gets to live with Ino." I said, grabbing Naruto's hand as we made our way down the familiar path to the Yamanaka's._

_"What are you doing, Sak?" Naruto asked, peering at our interlaced hands curiously._

_"Ino told me it's what people do when they're going to get married." I smiled, "She said that's what her dad and Sasuke's mom did a lot."_

_"Oh, okay." Naruto shrugged, accepting the explanation._

_When we got to Ino's, Naruto and I knocked on her door simultaneously._

_Ino father greeted us at the door with a smile, "Hey kiddies."_

_"Hi Mr. Yamanaka. I'm here to see Ino."_

_"And I'm here to see Sasuke!"_

_"Sasuke is in the backyard and Ino's in her room, I believe." Ino's father smiled, ushering us inside._

_"Come tell Ino to join us outside!" Naruto exclaimed, making his way past the kitchen to the yard._

_"Okay!"_

_I ran upstairs as I called Ino's name and then I burst into her room._

_"Sakura?"_

_"Hey Ino, wanna come play with us outside?" I smiled, making my way to my best friend. She was drawing in a coloring book on her bed. I comfortably sat next to her, observing her handiwork._

_"That's pretty."_

_"Thanks. And I don't know. I haven't really played with him yet." Ino huffed, choosing a blue crayon._

_"Who?"_

_"Sasuke. I don't know if he's fun yet." Ino pouted, coloring Cinderella's dress with as much focus and precision as a surgeon performing heart surgery._

_"Oh, he's really fun. He's Naruto's best friend and you really like Naru, right?" I assured her._

_"Yeah. I guess." Ino trailed off, cocking her head side to side taking in her colouring, "Hey Saku, you know that guy?"_

_"Sasuke. Yeah?"_

_"He's my brother now. And the other one too."_

_"Yeah. His name's Itachi."_

_"Do you know him?"_

_"No, but Naruto told me about him once. He said he was tall and nice."_

_"He's tall. Yeah."_

_"Naruto also said that Itachi can make really pretty sounds with his guitar."_

_"Oh."_

_"Anyways, you wanna go play outside?"_

_"Oh, okay..."_

_"I'll race you!"_

_"Hey! That's not fair!"_

**xxx**

"SAKURA! HEY! SAKURA!" A voice yelled, and I instantly snapped my eyes open.

Dazed, I tried to pinpoint the voice calling my name as I clumsily got to my feet.

"Head rush, head rush, head rush. Owwww." I groaned to myself, steadying myself against the tree with one hand and grabbing my aching head with the other.

"Sakura!"

When the rush subsided, I opened my eyes and broke out into a grin when I saw a familiar head of blond hair and eccentric blue eyes to match.

"Naruto!" I yelled, running towards him.

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

"So tell me what you've been up to." I poked at my salad and looked up to make eye contact with Sasuke.

He was still as handsome as ever: hair spiked flawlessly, skin pale as ever, and eyes that manage to always leave me mesmerized.

That's Sasuke Yamanaka for you I guess.

"Nothing really. Just been busy with music. We just finished a practice." He spoke pointedly and moved to take a sip of his (black and bitter looking) coffee.

Right, I forgot it wasn't just Itachi who played, "Oh, are you still in a band?"

He nodded, "Yeah, with Naruto and a few other guys."

"Nice, when's the album coming out?" I smiled half-jokingly.

He chuckled, "We're debuting in a few weeks I think."

I wanted to ask him what he thought of Akatsuki.

"I'm sure you guys will beat out every band in Japan." I grinned encouragingly.

There was a slight pause.

I knew he was thinking about it, about him. He probably didn't want to talk about Itachi—the topic always bothered him anyways.

"What are you doing here, Ino?" Sasuke sighed, almost as if he didn't want me to be in Tokyo.

I shook the strange feeling, "I'm trying to get into the whole fashion—"

"—No, I mean...what are you _really_ doing here." He cut me off bluntly and bore his orbs right through me.

_Wow, I feel so welcomed._

"I'm not here because of him, if that's what you're thinking." I stated testily; something I learned from living with the two Yamanaka boys.

"Sure about that?" He fired back condescendingly, if I wasn't so used to it—I might have been scared.

"I didn't even know about his dumb band until I came here." I rolled my eyes at my stepbrother.

He raised a brow, "So you know about Akatsuki."

"Who doesn't in this city?" I retorted, still pissed at the way he spoke to me earlier, "The first thing Sakura and I were greeted with was a goddamn poster of his _band_."

"Sakura." Sasuke echoed, as if he had just realized she existed, "She's here with you, isn't she?"

"Job interview, you'll be able to see her later." I quipped quickly, knowing he probably wanted to see her.

"Hn."

"So, you know about the concert tonight, right?" I began tentatively, not sure how he'd react to me knowing so much already.

"And you're thinking about going." He stated with a frown present on his lips.

I felt something inside me shift uncomfortably. Guilt? First Sakura and now him, "Well, yeah..."

"What does Sakura think about that...?" He crossed his arms over his toned chest knowingly.

"We got in a fight because she thinks he isn't worth seeing." I sighed, unwanted memories of our fight surfacing into my mind.

Seriously, we bicker sometimes, but this fight was totally out of line.

"Well she has a valid point." He stared hard at his empty mug, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.

I scoffed bitterly, still a little upset with my best friend, "Why do you always have to side with her?"

He closed his eyes calmly (similar to the way Itachi did when I was yelling at him), "It's merely that we have similar opinions."

I groaned teasingly, half annoyed.

"But if you did go, this would be your first time seeing him since, what? Nine years?"

_Actually third time...but I don't think Sasuke would appreciate that._

I made a mental note not to mention my previous encounters with Itachi to Sasuke._  
_

"Uhm, yeah. I've seen pictures, though." I mumbled, staring into my salad. Lying to my stepbrother was always an impossible task...both stepbrothers I mean.

"You've probably guessed it already but, Itachi isn't the same person we knew." Sasuke said, staring straight at me.

_Yeah, I had to learn the hard way.  
_

"I know," my voice cracked involuntarily, "...you don't have to tell me."

And then I remembered something that shifted my attention to a different topic.

"Sasuke," I started with genuine curiosity, "why did Itachi change his surname?"

I watched Sasuke display his trademark smirk, "It's more like he decided to switch back. Our biological father's last name is Uchiha."

I widened my eyes, "Oh, I never knew that."

"I'm known as Sasuke Uchiha here, it's just more convenient than anything else."

I sipped my ice tea thoughtfully, "Convenient?"

Sasuke's response was cut off by the urgent vibration of his Blackberry.

"One minute." Sasuke muttered, digging into his pocket then bringing the phone to his ear, "What is it?"

There was an awkward pause, in which I decided to pull out my own Blackberry.

There was a message from my mother, telling me she hoped our flight had been comfortable and to please call her if we needed anything.

I sighed, imagining my mother's face—her sleek brows knit together, her head cocked to the side in concern. It broke my heart what Itachi had done to her. And I hoped that she would never have to see him again.

_Hmm, sounds a bit familiar eh?_

And then I suddenly understood exactly how Sakura felt.

I inwardly cursed at my subconscious. How does this girl _always_ manage to make me feel guilty?

After sending my mother a short text, I tucked my phone away and sipped at my Coke.

"Hey, I actually have to go..." Sasuke trailed off dropping off a couple bills on our table.

There was a change in atmosphere, sudden tension etched on his face. Whatever the news had been; it wasn't good.

"Oh, where?" I honestly wanted him to stay. We hadn't seen each other for months and there was just so much more to catch up on.

"Just back to our place." He stood and chugged the last of his water.

"Our place?" I looked up at him inquisitively.

"Me, Naruto, and the rest of the band." He answered still standing and paused shortly, "Wanna come? I'm sure Naruto will want to see you."

I smiled at the invitation and rose from my seat immediately, "Sure, I haven't seen that dope in a while. I kinda miss him."

* * *

"It might be a little messy." He ran a hand through his hair.

I scoffed, "Oh please, I lived with you for a couple years and even made it out of Naruto's room alive. I know what I'm getting into."

"If you say so." He chuckled and opened a steel gray door, which led to a large living room. Bottles were scattered across tables, socks were miscellaneously found on the floor, random plates and cutlery could be found no where near the kitchen.

"How can you stand living here...?" I made sure nothing touched my new Prada bag.

He shrugged carelessly, "You get used to it."

"Right..." I trailed off. I took one sweep of the place and the overwhelming desire to clean the house gripped me.

"I know what you're thinking, so stop thinking. As weird as it sounds, the guys like it messy. They know where everything is."

I sighed and rolled my eyes, "I don't understand boys."

"Sasuke, I'm glad you're here...Oh. You brought company." A voice said, and I turned in surprise.

"Kiba, this is my stepsister, Ino. Ino this is Kiba." Sasuke introduced, nodding at the boy.

His green shirt and denim bottoms combination screamed laid back. He had large puppy dog eyes and messily spiked hair.

First thing that came to my mind was: _cute_.

I smiled, "Hey."

Yeah. Definitely cute.

Kiba smiled back but there was uncertainty in his face, "Hey. I've heard lots of about you, but I only knew you as the _stepsister_."

I smirked, and glanced at Sasuke who smirked back, "From Naruto, not me."

"Speaking of that loser, where is he?" I inquired, peaking past Kiba.

"He said he was going out to meet a friend," Kiba replied pulling out his phone, fidgeting nervously.

"Where's the rest of the band?" Sasuke, asked grabbing two cokes from the fridge and handing me one.

"Gaara has a photo shoot and Shikamaru is asleep in his room." Kiba chuckled, "Not a surprise, really."

"Yeah." Sasuke smirked, sitting down on the couch, "Ino, make yourself at home."

"Easier said than done," I grimaced, sidestepping past a bunch of scattered papers and CDs and finding a seat on a stool.

"Yeah, we haven't had a girl over for a while." Kiba blushed, scratching the side of his head sheepishly.

Was it weird that that piece of information made me feel good?

"Where were you this morning?" Sasuke asked, picking up a thick score from the table.

"I was at the library, picking some stuff up." The puppy-dog eyed boy continued to focus on his phone.

"I haven't ever met a guy so attached to his phone." I commented playfully.

He forced a nervous laugh, which earned him a subtly curious glance from Sasuke himself, "Yeah, man she's right, what's up?"

"It's nothing." Kiba insisted, flustered.

I wasn't buying it, "You sure...?"

After a short moment of being stared down by Sasuke and I, he exhaled tiredly, "It's just this girl..."

"A girl?" I sat up excitedly; finally something interesting.

Sasuke grunted, "You're seriously worrying about a girl?"

"Shush!" I raised a hand to block my insensitive stepbrother from the conversation, then focused my attention back on Kiba, "What's she like?"

I could tell he was taken aback by my interest, "Uh...well. She's not very good with directions, but she's smart, and pretty." He cleared his throat, "Really pretty. She's...different. Hard to describe."

_Sounds like Sakura._

I mentally rolled my eyes at the thought of my best friend's incompetence.

"Sounds like someone else we know." Sasuke mumbled while scribbling and scratching things out on the papers in his lap.

Kiba ignored him, "Yeah, we were texting a little earlier."

"Oh." I sounded, "She hasn't texted you back then?"

It was strange to me that there were actually boys like this.

So _cute._

He stayed silent, a prominent blush on his cheeks.

"Call her." I voiced suddenly, smiling at him encouragingly.

He looked up at me, eyes wide and innocent, "Really?"

I nodded, "It won't do any harm."

"Alright then..." He murmured and dialed into his Blackberry. Then he looked up, "But she's probably busy or somethin—"

"Call. Her." I commanded.

"Okay I will..."

"Put it on speaker." I shifted towards the edge of my seat.

After pressing the green button, he held his phone out (knowing Sasuke would want to hear the conversation as well).

"Hello?" A distinctly familiar voice emitted from the device.

"Hey, Sakura." He spoke, a nervous expression present on his face.

_—Wait..._

_—Did he just say...?_

"Oh! Kiba! Hi! What's going on?"

Yup. That was definitely Sakura.

I shot a look of disbelief towards Sasuke, who looked back with equal surprise.

Then slowly, the corner of his mouth crooked upward.

"Just wondering if you wanted to hang later." Kiba replied, fisting his hair.

There was some rustling and another voice came up then disappeared.

"Uh...I'm just at a friend's. How about tomorrow?"

Since when did she have friends in Tokyo?

"Oh no problem. I'll call you later."

Kiba hung up quickly.

"That's embarrassing." Sasuke scoffed thoughtlessly, but there was a amused twinkle in his eyes.

"At least he has a girl!" I defended the poor guy, "Don't listen to him, Kiba."

"No, he's right. That was bad..."

"HONEY, I'M HOME!" A loud, obnoxious voice boomed from the doorway.

_...Naruto._

"Shikamaru's gonna kill you if you wake him up again." Kiba sighed and slumped deeper against the couch.

"The lazy ass needs to get up anyways." Orange and blond rolled into the living room, "I wanna introduce you all to somebody awesome! Her name is Sak—_INO?_"

"Naruto." I nodded calmly, but on the inside I totally wanted to jump up and lock him in a tight embrace.

He looked...so _different_, older. His face was more mature, for sure, but his eyes were still that same vibrant shade of blue.

And of course a bright orange shirt was present on his upper half.

"...Ino?" A cautious voice piped up.

"Sakura." I acknowledged, but didn't make eye contact with her, still unsure of where we stood.

_Right, almost forgot we were in a fight._

"Sasuke!" She ran towards my stepbrother excitedly, but stopped in her tracks half way.

"S-S-Sakura?" Kiba stood hastily, shifting his eyes back and forth between Sakura and Naruto, "N-Naruto how do you...?"

The rosette widened her eyes, "Kiba? How...?"

"Sakura." Sasuke smirked.

"Wait, Sasuke, Naruto..."

"I'm _so_ confused! How does everyone know each other?" Naruto wailed from across the room.

I had to admit, my own mind was a little jumbled.

...

...

Everyone stared at each other for a long awkward moment.

...

...

A _really_ long, _really_ awkward moment.

Then, thank the Lord, an unfamiliar (pissed-off) looking boy appeared: his hair was in a spiked up pony-tail and he was rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"I think I can safely say everyone knows each other's names! I'm trying to sleep! What the _hell_ is going on here?"

* * *

**A/N: **Hello faithful readers, it's **_tornupleather_**. Sorry for the long wait everyone, but we finally came up with a good enough chapter for you all. Thanks for all the support!

**Winter Psyche: **Haha! I _love_ the awkwardness, I must say. I'm so glad we were able to introduce Sasuke and Naruto in this chapter. I _heart_ them much too much from my own good. Thank you so much for all your reviews/support :)

**P.S.** Thank you especially to _**Yami Uchiha**_ for the song suggestion. That was added to our Playlist instantly! (And yes, it does fit perfectly)  
You lovelies should all know that **_tornupleather_ **and I are quite the music lovers so any song suggestions are welcome with open arms! :)

_Your review are always appreciated! :) _


	4. Meeting the Band

**Disclaimer: **We do not own Naruto

**Title:** Landing Amongst the Stars

**Genre:** Romance/Drama/Angst

* * *

**LANDING AMONGST THE STARS**

Chapter Four: _Meeting the Band_

A collaboration by _**Winter Psyche**_ and _**tornupleather**_

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

After many awkward introductions, things settled down a bit. Well, not really.

"For the last time Naruto," Kiba growled, "I only met Sakura today!"

"That's a suspicious story!" Naruto exclaimed.

"No, it's true, Naru. I probably would've been run over if it weren't for Kiba." I quickly cut in, trying to soothe the annoyed blonde. Honestly, Naruto could be so protective.

"You put her in danger? I'LL KICK YOUR ASS!"

"Drop it, Naruto. We have more important things to worry about." Shikamaru—as I just recently met—drawled, tapping a pen against his lap. In front of him were a bunch of papers stapled together clumsily. I mentally wince at the lazy handiwork.

"Shikamaru is right." Sasuke remarked, "Tsunade's coming over soon to discuss…the _situation_."

_Oh so subtle, Sasuke._

Naruto groaned, "That means we'll probably have to clean up a bit."

"Well, if you weren't such a pig in the first place…" Kiba mumbled.

"WHAT'DYOUCALLME?"

"Kiba, Naruto. Shut the fuck up, I can't think." Shikamaru growled, rubbing his temples.

"How's the song going, anyway?" Naruto leaned over, all his previous anger gone.

"Chicken shit because _somebody _won't shut up."

"Well it would have been finished by now if we didn't have a _sloth_ as a songwriter!"

"Okay guys…" I began.

"You're all embarrassing yourselves in front of the girls." Kiba laughed, stealing a quick glance at me.

"You're one to talk." Sasuke smirked at Kiba then shifted his gaze at me.

I didn't know why I felt like blushing just then. Instead, I glued my eyes to my wedges.

"Maybe we should leave. You guys seem like you need some time alone." Ino suggested, amusement laced in her voice.

"NO! Don't leave!" Naruto blurted out, startling Ino.

_I don't wanna leave either…_

"It's not like we'll never see you again," Ino snorted, "We'll come visit again soon."

"That won't be necessary. You both can stay here." Shikamaru voiced, surprising everyone in the room.

When no one said anything, Shikamaru spoke, his eyes still focused on the piece of paper on the table.

"It's obvious that Naruto just spoke for everyone and there's a spare room down the hall. If you guys don't mind sharing."

"YEAH! They won't mind! You guys are practically joined at the hip anyway!" Naruto pumped him fist in the air.

"I think that's a good idea." Kiba replied quickly, scratching his head.

"What's Tsunade going to think when she hears about this?" Sasuke asked slowly, contemplating Shikamaru's suggestion.

"Oh shut up Sasuke. You're such a phony. You want them to stay just as much as I do!" Naruto laughed, smacking him on the back.

"While I don't appreciate being called a phony, it would be easier to keep an eye on you two if you stayed with us." Sasuke relented.

"Then it's done!" Naruto grinned.

"Wait a second!" Ino said.

Everyone turned to stare at her.

"Don't we have some input in this?" She looked incredulous.

"..."

"Nope."

"NADA."

"...Whatever."

There was a slight pause and Ino and I exchanged glances.

"What do you think Sakura?" She asked, shrugging. Five pairs of eyes were on me in an instant.

_Great…make me decide. _

"Uhm…I mean. We don't want to impose…"

"Great! So you guys are staying!"

I turned to Ino, helpless, "Uhm. Okay, I guess."

Naruto yelled for about the tenth time, Kiba smiled, his skin tone suspiciously rosier than usual, Sasuke 'hnned' and Shikmaru didn't even look up.

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Ino demanded, climbing into the bed we were supposedly sharing as of now. Or since five minutes ago.

I sighed, slouching further into the couch just across the mattress. Honestly, I didn't know what to think at the moment. I didn't know if this was a good thing or not. Part of the reason why Ino and I had left was to start fresh, pursue our passions—start a new chapter in our lives… And as much as I loved Naruto and Sasuke, I couldn't help feeling we were heading backwards instead of forwards.

"Oh Sak, talk to me."

I shook my head quickly, "It's not that, Ino. It's just…"

"Yeah?" she encouraged.

"This whole trip, I guess…I just wanted to…" I trailed off, not sure how to put it.

"I know this is uncomfortable. Even though Sasuke and Naruto are staying with us. Maybe we should go talk to them, I'm sure they'll understand."

I bit my lip and fiddled with my shirt, "But that's just exactly it. Naruto and Sasuke…they're from our childhood. Whenever I'm with them, I feel like that small incompetent little girl all over again." I blurted, running a hand through my hair.

I let my words settle but hurried to finish them when Ino opened her mouth.

"Don't misunderstand Ino, you know I love Naruto and Sasuke. They're basically my family. It's just…why do I feel so helpless when I'm around them? That helpless little girl I used to be. I don't want to be her anymore."

A wave of silenced passed through us. It took awhile before I could gather enough courage to glance up at my best friend.

Finally she spoke, "Is this about…what happened with Itachi?" Her words weren't accusing, but genuinely concerned.

I sucked in a breath. "I don't know. All I know is I never want to feel like that again."

Ino ran a hand through her hair, her sapphire blue eyes scrunched around the corners, "I understand."

"Maybe I'm being silly," I continued.

"No, I think that's legit." She replied, yawning involuntarily.

"You should get some sleep. It's been a long day."

"I'm not sleepy." She lied.

"Mmhm…we may be in a fight, but I think I still know how much sleep you require to function." I joked awkwardly, still aware that we were fighting.

Ino eyes widened a little, as if she had forgotten, "Look I just wanted to say that—"

"I'm sorry about—" we said in unison.

"Go ahead." Ino smiled.

"I was thinking…I'm sorry about our fight. It was completely immature of me and I think we should go." I said, "Plus, if Akatsuki is one of Japan's hottest bands…we should get the whole Japanese experience."

Ino snorted expectedly and I cocked my head in confusion.

_Well, that's not the reaction I was expecting._

"I was just about to say the exact opposite." She grinned, "I was going to say that we should leave the Akatsuki _out _of our experience here."

I laughed, "Well, I disagree. We're going tonight. So rest up!"

"Ugh."

"G'nite sleeping beauty."

"You suck."

* * *

After quickly changing into more casual wear—jeans shorts and a white tank top—I slipped out our room, not surprised that Ino had already fallen asleep.

_I swear that girl would sleep all day if she could. I'm sure her and that guy, Shikamaru, could bond over that._

"…just saying that you did not follow up on your word. The interview was promised to us!"

"Naruto! Watch your tongue, you idiot."

"Look, we tried. But the fact is, Akatsuki is on top—"

"NOT FOR LONG THEY WON'T!"

"INTERRUPT ME ONE MORE TIME, UZUMAKI, I DARE YOU."

"S-sorry…"

"Hah, loser."

_That sounds like Kiba and Naruto. What the hell is going on in there?_

Creeping down the hall, but making sure not to be spotted, I pressed myself against the cream colored wall.

"…is what they want. Fans demanded it."

I screwed my eyes at the unfamiliar female voice.

"We understand the predicament. But you must understand how we may feel about the situation. It was presented to us in the first place and then it was given over to the Akatsuki, yet no one even thought to inform us."

_That sounds like Shikamaru._

"Where the hell is Gaara anyway? He should have some say in this!"

_Definitely Naruto._

"You know exactly where he is. And I've already spoken to him."

"Damn Gaara! He's rolling with the ENEMY!"

"…I'm just going to ignore that. I came over here to apologize formerly to each and everyone of you. There's nothing we can do at the moment."

"Thank you for taking the time to come meet us."

"You're welcome…look, I am truly sorry. But it is what it is. And you have all got to remember that Shinobi and Akatsuki are part of the same company. You are not enemies."

"Hnn…others may disagree. And I'm not just talking about my band mates."

I smiled at the familiar sarcastic voice.

_Something must've happened between their band and the Akatsuki…I wonder what it is._

"Uchiha, sibling rivalry has nothing to do with the fact that Shinobi and Akatsuki are working side by side."

"Oh I assure you, Tsunade. Petty rivalry has nothing to do with hostility between us."

"Anyway, we appreciate you coming to hear us out." Kiba said quickly.

There were shuffling noises and an awkward pause, "Well I should be on my way. Uzumaki, Uchiha; I need you two tonight. And I expect all of you tomorrow six am, sharp. We're on a tight schedule. Your grand debut is only a week away."

"We're very aware." Sasuke replied, "What do you need us for?"

Tsunade clucked her tongue, "Business dinner party. You know, the fun parts of being a band."

"Aw! I don't wanna go! Why can't Kiba go instead? Or Shikamaru?"

"Hey! There's no way I'm going. I went last time—boring as _hell._"

"We need the support." Tsunade replied simply.

"We'll do it." Sasuke answered.

"Good. I think you've gotten enough free time. Oh and one more thing."

"…"

"You should be careful who you have over. We had an extra pair of ears with us this evening."

What was she…?

Oh.

_SHIT._

I felt my whole body seize in panic.

_How did she know I was here?_

Sheepishly I came out from my hiding spot, "I'm s-sorry."

I was face to face with a beautiful blonde lady who seemed to be in her early thirties. Her hair was arranged in a high bun and she wore a black business suit.

"Sakura?" Naruto inquired, "Did…you hear all that?"

"Uhm. Kind of?" I confessed, getting redder by the second.

"She's a family friend. We can trust her." Sasuke smirked.

"I assumed if you had let her stay with you, she could be." Tsunade said curtly, turning to the door, "Nice to meet you Sakura."

"Y-you too!" I called after her, wanting more than ever to crawl up in a hole and die.

When the door close behind her, Kiba spoke, "Well that was…fun."

"I can't believe this! I don't want to go to some stupid dinner!" Naruto seethed, apparently having forgotten I was in the room.

I debated what to do with myself. Maybe if I slowly back up towards my room I could disappear unnoticed…

"Suck it up. You don't have a choice. It's for the good of the band." Kiba yawned.

"THEN WHY DON'T YOU VOLUNTEER TO GO, SMARTASS?"

"So Sakura, what did you hear?" Shikamaru asked, his hard gaze set on me.

_So much for that idea._

"Nothing, really. I didn't understand half the things you were talking about…" I mumbled, looking side to side nervously.

"We trust you won't speak of this to anyone."

"Shikmaru, you don't have to be so mean…" Kiba started.

"YEAH Shika! Sakura won't tell anyone!" Naruto said.

"Of course! I don't even have anyone to tell." I exclaimed quickly.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru grumbled, "I need to sleep."

Everyone watched as Shikamaru exited the living room to his sleeping quarters.

"LAZY ASS." Naruto called after him. "Hey and where do you think you're going, Sasuke? You're the one who volunteered us!"

"Going to get ready, loser." Sasuke replied, as he made his way down the hall.

"JERK OFF!"

"You should get ready too." Kiba said, stifling a snort.

"But I wanted to hang out with Sakura and Ino!" Naruto whined.

I assuaged, "It's okay Naruto, we'll be seeing a lot of each other soon. We'll have plenty of time to chill together."

Naruto didn't seem convinced. I sighed, "It also sounds like a lot of important people are going to be there, you know, to help you guys become famous. I'm sure the Akatsuki had to do the exact same thing." I rambled.

I blushed when I realized I had just mentioned the worst possible example to convince him.

Naruto glared, "I _hate_ them. They're all a bunch of posers."

I was surprised when Kiba's expression equally darkened, "Yah, for once I agree with you."

"Don't worry," I said quickly, "They're definitely not my favourite either."

_It's not like you're going to their concert later tonight or anything. Such an idiot._

"So what are you guys planning to do?" Naruto asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Actually now that you mentioned it, I was about to take a shower and then get something to eat, wanna come Sakura?" Kiba asked.

"Sure, I'm kind of hungry. And I'm sure Ino will be too when she wakes up. I might pick something up for her."

"I hate you, Inuzuka."

* * *

Since I had a bit of time to spare while Kiba was showering, I decided to chill in the living room and see what was on TV. Turning on the screen, I flicked through the channels, trying to find something that looked remotely understandable and interesting. I paused when I saw a familiar face come up on screen modelling in a commercial of a clothing brand. I recognized him as the drummer of the Akatsuki band. I was more surprised to see that next to him was a boy who looked exactly like him. Only, he a bit shorter and his face looked younger. They had the same shade of vibrant red hair, and the same fair, pale skin. However, while their physical features looked alike, the older one seemed much for relaxed, as if he had been modelling all his life. His facial features were laid back, his brown seductive eyes framed by his long lashes in a way that was abated by his friendly smile. He looked much too friendly for a beautiful boy, I decided. He was definitely what Ino would describe as a pretty boy. The younger however, seemed more tense and there was a faint etch in between his green eyes, as if he were frowning with them. His presence strangely reminded me of another pair of brothers I knew.

_He's got the whole 'broody' look going for him._

"That's Gaara and his cousin, Sasori." a voice spoke, startling me.

"Shit! Oh—sorry! You scared me." I giggled nervously.

"My apologies." Sasuke smirked.

"Yeah sure," I laughed, "Gaara...wait _he's_ the band member we haven't met yet?"

"Correct." the younger Uchiha replied, sitting down next to me. His hair was wet—and I realized he had probably just gotten out of the shower.

_There are five guys that live here...of course there are going to be more than one bathroom...idiot._

"Wait a sec. You said that's his older cousin? Is he the drummer for Akatsuki?" I double checked.

"Yes." Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"I—I've seen posters...and stuff." I covered up hastily.

My attention was brought back to the screen. The redhead cousins were now in very flattering jeans.

Then I remembered something, "By the way...does Gaara know Ino and I are staying here?"

Sasuke chuckled, "Yes. Naruto made sure to let him know."

I sighed in relief, keeping my gaze glued to the TV screen "Oh, that's good...and he's okay with us staying with you guys?"

When Sasuke didn't reply, I faced him.

I was met with his trademark smirk.

"W-What?"

"Sakura...I've known you for a little longer than that."

"What are you _talking _about?" I asked, genuinely puzzled.

"You don't have to stay with us if that makes you uncomfortable." Sasuke said, amusement in his voice.

I blushed. "It's not what you think."

"I know. I just wanted to let you know."

I smiled, knowing that I didn't need to explain any further. Things had always been like this with Sasuke. Ever since I was little, he was able to read me like an open book. And not just me, he could read anybody he wanted. He always had a knack for things like that. It was one of the things I really appreciated about him.

"Thanks Sasuke." I beamed.

"Hn."

I rolled my eyes, leaning against him on the couch, "Have fun at your dinner thingy."

"Yeah. You're going out with Kiba later?" I could feel the vibrations of his voice against his chest.

"Yup, just grabbing food."

"I'm sure he'll be ecstatic either way." Maybe it was just me over thinking—like I always seemed to do—but I could've sworn there was a hint of jealousy somewhere in his tone.

Confused, I looked up at him, "You make no sense sometimes, you know that?"

I was taken aback at the sudden intensity of his smoky gaze. His eyes seemed to soften just a little, and I found myself staring endlessly. My subconscious dared me not to blink, as if I'd miss something if my eyes shut for even a mili-second.

"I know..." He breathed, keeping his inky eyes on mine.

_What the hell? No... this is Sasuke we're talking about...NONONONONO._

I'd be lying if I said my heart didn't flutter at all, but there was just a line between us that I couldn't cross.

My eyes widened at the thought of anything even happening between me and him, yet I couldn't bring myself to look away.

Then slowly he leaned in...

My heart hammered against my chest.

...and smirked as he broke his gaze. His eyelashes fanning quite exquisitely across his cheekbones.

"Hey Sakura! Ready to go? Oh. Hey Sasuke." Kiba's voice shattered whatever moment I was having with Sasuke, and I was grateful for it.

I ripped my body away from Sasuke as if he were on fire, "Yeah, let's go! See you later Sasuke! Say bye to Naruto for me!"

_How embarrassing was that? Avoid eye-contact, avoid eye contact..._

"Hn."

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

A tired groan escaped from my lips, "Sakura?"

Just as I was about to go look for her—I noticed my Blackberry flash red. Opening my BBM inbox I read a message from my missing friend.

**Sakura Haruno / May 15th, 6:29 PM**

_HEY BABE. You're probably asleep right now...SIGH._  
_I'm just out with Kiba. NOT A DATE._  
_Getting food for your lazy ass! We'll be back soon._  
_Luh you!_

I impatiently sighed, feeling my stomach turn with hunger—no way was I waiting for her to finish that non-date dinner. Since this was Sasuke's house along with the other boys...it would technically be mine as well. So, I would be allowed to ravish their fridge.

I swiped a finger under my eyes to erase any smudged eyeliner, then made my way to the (still very messy) kitchen. My blue irises scanned their moderately sized fridge...

...nothing.

Well, nothing that would satisfy my hunger. They had plenty of salsa, some expired milk, a couple boxes of left overs, and some beers. Great.

I heard the wooden floor creak behind me and assumed it was my step-brother.

"Sasuke, you have no food!"

A few moments passed and not even a 'hn'.

Confused, I turned.

This was definitley not my step-brother.

My eyes were immediately drawn towards the man's cold green orbs, his vivid red locks captured my interest as well. He had a small frame, but looked tough enough to beat up an army—which totally caused me to mentally swoon.

"Oh. I thought you were Sasuke, my bad." Was I blushing? I really hope not.

He stepped behind me slowly, as hot as he was...I felt scared.

"Sorry we don't have much to eat." He spoke, barely audible.

"Don't worry about it, I wasn't that hungry." A fake smile crossed my lips.

He looked at me for a second, then moved to lift the plastic bags he'd been carrying onto the counter, "I'm about to make stir fry. Would you like some?"

"Sure." I tried to seem nonchalant, yet grateful—though I'm pretty sure he could see through anything.

I moved to wash my hands, "So how can I help?"

"You can start by chopping up a red and yellow pepper." He instructed, then returned to putting away the groceries.

I did as told without any problems at all. To be honest, I never had too much experience in the kitchen...so cooking with a guy who really seemed to know his stuff was quite nerve wracking.

"Pass them over here." I handed him the bowl of neatly cut peppers. He tossed them into his mix of beef strips, celery, and onions.

I watched intently as he strategically mixed all the ingredients, along with some sauce he'd poured in. The stove was switched off a few minutes later and I decided to pull out two plates.

He nodded at me and took them, then proceeded to evenly divide his creation. Then, a small clump of white rice was added next to the stir fry.

"This looks amazing." I picked up one plate from the counter and sat down at the dining table, fork already in hand, "Thank you."

"Yeah." He replied shortly and sat across from me, "You're Sasuke's step-sister right?"

I nodded and swallowed, "Yup, I'm Ino."

"Gaara." He introduced himself finally.

The two of us ate in silence, and when my plate was half empty—something crossed my mind.

"You were at a photo shoot earlier, right?"

He looked up from his dish and nodded to confirm my statement.

"What was it for?"

The redhead shrugged carelessly, "Just for a clothing ad. My cousin and I do a lot of modeling together."

"Oh, lucky her." I joked.

"He's a guy." Gaara deadpanned.

_So. STUPID._

I decided that moment that conversations with insanely hot and broody band members/models was not very fun. Though he was some amazing eye candy, I had to admit.

He finished his food first (obviously) and placed his plate in the sink.

"Want one?" I turned to see him holding out a bottle of beer.

I stood and placed my empty plate in the sink as well and took the dark bottle from him, "Thanks."

"So what are you guys doing in Tokyo?"

After taking a long swig of the bitter drink—I thought for a second, "Well. Sakura and I always talked about getting jobs in Tokyo together."

"I see." He nodded.

"So how did you meet Sasuke?"

"Through Naruto actually." He paused, probably remembering something, "Yeah, that's all there is to say."

I had a feeling that he wasn't being completely honest with me, but didn't press the subject. He seemed very intimidating, so I wouldn't dare. My mouth opened to say something rather pointless (just to keep up some conversation), when Sakura popped through the front door.

"We're back!" She announced spiritedly, Kiba trailing behind her.

I shifted my gaze towards her, "How was your date?"

Kiba's cheeks started to tint red and her expression immeditely turned sour, "It wasn't a DATE. We just grabbed some food—and brought you some!"

"Sure, and I already ate." I subconsciously peeked at Gaara out of the corner of my eye. Sakura glanced at the red head next to me, as if noticing him for the first time, then darted her emerald orbs back at me.

The brunette next to Sakura cleared his throat and met my gaze, "So I see you've met Gaara."

"Oh! You're that guy I saw on TV! I'm Sak—"

"—I know." A smirk grazed his lips.

I giggled at her stunned appearance.

"Hey should we go soon?" I twirled the end of my high pony tail, facing Sakura.

Surprise, anxiousness, and embarrassment stretched across her features.

"Where you guys headed?" Kiba's puppy-dog brown eyes were glazed with curiosity.

The rosette next to him spoke before I could even inhale, "Just out...walking...and stuff."

_Uh, I thought we were going to the Akatsuki concert, but okay..._

Kiba frowned, "It's pretty dark out, Gaara and I can go with you."

"I have other matters to attend to." And with a polite nod, the (deliciously hot) red head retreated to, what I believed, his room.

"It's alright! We just wanted to do some girl talk! Y'know..." I noted the way my best friend forced out a fake laugh. Her eye contact with the chocolate haired boy lasted about one second, then her attention was averted back to her blue and white striped wedges.

_Girl talk...? What the hell is she doing?_

"If you say so...I'll see you ladies later." A suspicious but amused look crossed Kiba's perfectly rounded face. Then, he wordlessly sauntered upstairs.

"What the hell?" I turned to face Sakura, extremely confused by her behavior.

The girl sighed heavily—the way she always did before sharing important information, "Well I heard the guys talking with their manager about Akatsuki...and I just feel like this is something we should keep from them."

"Alright." I agreed, not wanting to question the matter further. It made sense that letting Sasuke and them know where we were about to go was a terrible idea. After all...Itachi would be there, and that's more than enough to anger my step-brother.

We stepped out of the house quietly after grabbing our jackets.

An uncomfortable silence fell between us.

My mind raced with theories of what she heard.

"What exactly did you hear, Saks?" My vision never faltered from the pavement.

She pursed her lips thoughtfully, giving me the sense that she didn't really want to talk about it.

"I don't remember, really. None of it made sense to me."

I nodded, "Okay."

"So what was Gaara like?" Hearing his name so abruptly made my heart clench, and suddenly the uncomfortable silence disappeared.

"He was quiet. Very Sasuke-_esque_...but darker, if that's at all possible." I rolled my eyes at the though of my broody step-brother.

"Yeah I saw him earlier on TV..." She trailed off, her green eyes flashing with something different.

"...with his cousin, right?" I finished for her.

"Do you know who his cousin is?" Sakura bit her lip anxiously—obviously knowing.

I craned my head to stare at her, giving her a look that demanded the answer.

"Sasori No Akasuna."

The name was familiar. Someone from back home...? No then I would've heard of Gaara a long time ago.

"He's the drummer in Akatsuki." Sakura bluntly stated, not being able to keep it to herself much longer.

"No...way." For once, I stopped in my tracks to stare at her, a dumbfounded expression on my face.

"S-Sasuke told me." Sakura mumbled, and the way she stumbled over my step-brother's name did not go unnoticed.

_What's with her?_

"What else did Sasuke tell you?" I inquired, trying to pry whatever it is she was keeping from me.

I watched her fair skin redden as she avoided my gaze, "N-Nothing else. We just talked about Sasori and Gaara. We didn't have lots of time to catch up...he, um, had to go to a business dinner party with Naruto."

"So that's where they are." I nodded, "So...he didn't say anything or do anything..."

I felt Sakura jump next to me and I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.

"What are you—nothing! Are you implying something?" She stammered, her skin matching the shade of her hair.

"Nope. You just seem a little jumpy..."

"Oh! We're here! Look!"

A giant crowd of girls were gathered around a large stage.

_This looks like the entire population of Japan over here..._

Some crew members were setting up microphones and fixing lighting issues. Girls were screaming and chanting for Akatsuki to go onstage.

"I'm gonna grab us some drinks okay?" Sakura bee-lined for the concession stand while I was left to wander for a good spot. At this rate we were going to have to stand at the very back...

Twenty minutes passed and she still wasn't anywhere in sight. The fans were still screaming wildly, how they had the energy to do that was beyond me. I rolled my eyes and searched for a quiet spot to call her.

Wandering, blindly away from the crowd, I pulled out my phone.

Out of no where, my shoulder collided with something rock hard.

My eyes flicked up from the floor, only to be greeted with amused brown orbs, "My apologies."

"Sorry, I wasn't really paying attention..." He was beautiful, a little familiar, but just looking into his eyes sent waves of electricity down my spine. Though his crimson hair did remind me of Gaara.

"What brings you back here?" The man still had a smirk plastered on his entertained expression.

Something told me I wasn't allowed to be here.

"I was just trying to find somewhere quiet to call someone." I explained quickly, not wanting to get thrown out or anything.

"Don't worry, you aren't in trouble." He read the concern in my eyes perfectly, "Where are your seats?"

"Uh..." I fiddled with the hem of my top nervously.

_Yeah I don't have seats, just popped by to see what all the hype is all about. Did I mention my asshole step-brother is in this band? Yeah._

We exchanged a long, long gaze. It almost seemed as if he were scrutinizing me, while I was admiring his stature. He was in a simple gray v-neck and dark denim, I was certain that he would still be able to pull off rags and turn them into a trend.

"Follow me." He pressed a hand against the small of my back. Warmth flooded the apples of my cheeks, and I twirled the ends of my hair—attempting to seem preoccupied.

Too caught up in my anxiety at how handsome this guy was, I never noticed where he was leading me to. There were two bouncers standing before us. They both nodded at the redhead and parted so we could enter a narrow, fenced off area.

_Did he work backstage or something? Oh God, is he reporting me to security?_

My worries were soon a memory when I stepped into a large, spacious glass room that resided basically in front of the stage.

"This..." I gaped at the luxurious booth presented to me. It included velvet black cushions and a modernly rounded table. Only a few people occupied the room, but they had their own seating further across where we stood.

"VIP." He shrugged casually, then whipped out his phone, "Gotta go. Enjoy the concert."

"W-Wait!" I stammered, unsure if I could trust the beautiful boy.

He turned around, and seemed to be interested at what I needed to ask him so badly.

"Why...did you...are you even allowed to let me in—"

"—let's just say you seem like a _special_ fan."

_Quite the opposite really._

And with a small smirk, he disappeared behind the two bouncers.

**Sakura Haruno / May 15, 9:48 PM**

_WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU?_  
_I LOOK LIKE A LOSER WANDERING AROUND HOLDING TWO DRINKS!_

I snorted at the image of Sakura with that lost expression on her face.

**Ino Yamanaka / May 15, 9:49 PM**

_Come to the front! The VIP section. Trust me and I'll explain later!_

Right when she arrived to where our seats were the lights dimmed—and I could've sworn the fans screamed ten time louder.

"Ino!" I saw my bestfriend's eyes round like saucers, "How—What did you...—What the FUCK?"

_What the fuck, indeed._

* * *

**A/N: **Hey everyone! It's **Winter Psyche** :) Thanks for all the lovely reviews/comments/suggestions. We know it's been way too long—our sincere apologies! Hopefully this chapter will somehowkindanotreally make up for the long, insufferable (or sufferable) wait. We hope you all are enjoying the sun!

**tornupleather: **We (or at least I) lost the inspiration to continue this story, but fortunately we are back on track and as obsessed as ever. :) We'll be trying to update more regularly, so hang with us.

_PS. Our apologies for mistakes, we'll edit later when we're sober. (Haha jknotreally)_


	5. The Pink Frog

**Disclaimer: **We do not own Naruto

**Title:** Landing Amongst the Stars

**Genre:** Romance/Drama/Angst

**Warning/s: **Violence and _Explicitness_

* * *

**LANDING AMONGST THE STARS**

Chapter Five: _The Pink Frog_

A collaboration by _**Winter Psyche**_ and _**tornupleather**_

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

"So are you going to give me an explanation or what?" I half whispered, half screamed at Ino as the lights in the stadium dimmed.

There was an excited buzz in the crowd, energy pumping from every corner of the venue. Despite my dislike for the band, I couldn't deny the gradual acceleration of my heartbeat. I must've been clutching my drink unnaturally hard because when I sat it down on the table, there were dents along the rim of it.

"I'll explain everything later." Ino hollered back, because at this point nothing could be heard under a scream.

I rolled my eyes, trying to calm my nerves.

The thousands of fans screaming at the top of their lungs weren't really helping.

From where we were sitting, we could see everything. Everything perfectly clearly. But that wasn't the problem—the _problem_ was that that meant we could be seen. Perfectly.

"Ino—" I began, but was cut off by a blinding light.

Suddenly on stage was a band, but it didn't look like the Akatsuki.

_"Hey everybody!"_ A gorgeous girl with glossy blue hair—the lead singer I suspected—yelled, a huge smile on her face. At first I thought it was Konan, but the girl standing on stage had a curvier frame and was shorter than Konan. Her face was rounder and her features were softer. She also had a different aura about her, much different Konan's tough-girl vibe. She wore a strapless white dress that glimmered in the neon light and purple pumps. But the most intriguing and maybe the most attractive feature on the girl was her eyes. They were a strange, enchanting gray-violet shade.

_"I'm Hinata and this is my brother Neji and we're Violet Generation!"_

There was a deafening roar of fans.

The boy look-alike—Neji—whom I had just noticed smiled, touching a device implanted in his ear, _"We'll be opening up tonight's concert! Are you guys pumped?"_

Did they really need to ask?

_It's a miracle my hearing is still intact._

"I think…I've heard of this band." Ino shouted, nudging me. "The Hyuuga twins; they're pretty famous. I think their parents used to be famous. Actors or something."

"Ohhh." I commented, gazing up at the mesmerizing siblings. Neji wore a pair of black jeans, a maroon colored t-shirt and a white vest. His hair was equally as glossy and straight as his sister's, but it was a hazel shade. Like burnt auburn; it trailed down to his shoulders.

"He's _hot_." Ino gasped, and I rolled my eyes but nodded. The boy was almost _too _pretty.

When Hinata sat herself on the grand piano, the audience began to quiet down. The lights dimmed once more, and a purple glow hit the stage. Hinata positioned her right foot on the pedal of the shiny black piano. It was set to the side, so we were able to see Hinata's profile. Her hair billowed perfectly behind her.

Then she began to play. Her pale fingers ghosting across the instrument with a sort of grace and classiness that was unable to be learned or taught.

Her twin then positioned a violin underneath his neck, his right hand gripping the bow and positioned perfectly above the violin.

There were no words to explain what happened next. Hinata opened her mouth and an unearthly voice filled the stadium, shocking everyone into silence. The rest of the band began to play along.

I felt Ino clutch my arm. I glanced at her, and saw my expression in her own and in that moment of exchanged glances, I knew we were both thinking the same thing: _amazing_.

At the end of the song, the crowd cheered and hollered, and Violet Generation merged immediately into their second tune. This time, Neji grabbed the mic and Hinata leaned back from hers, pressing the piano keys in a faster rhythm than before. We were equally, if not more, blown away by his voice. It was husky, yet velvety, running smoothly into the mic.

Ino and I squealed when he rapped and 'awwed' when the twin's voices merged in a melodious harmony. We found ourselves swept away with the crowd.

After a couple more songs, Violet Generation thanked the crowd and left the stage.

"Oh my _God_. I know what I'm downloading on my iPod tonight." Ino grinned.

"No kidding." I beamed.

The stadium's lights dimmed again, and by then we both knew why.

"I'm so freaking nervous." I whispered.

"Me too." Ino answered, sipping her coke.

I noticed her hands were shaking.

When the lights came back to the stage, the crowed came alive.

_"Are you guys all enjoying yourselves tonight?" _Konan cried out into the mic.

It seemed that the crowd was indeed enjoying themselves tonight.

_"We're Akatsuki and we're going to be performing for you guys right here and now!"_ Deidara howled into the mic, pumping his arm in the air. His hair was let loose and was wearing a leather jacket with bright red pants and black boots.

"Oh God…" Ino whimpered as she laid eyes on her step-brother, however I was using all my will-power to _avoid_ looking at the guitarist on the left of Konan. This had been the moment I was dreading.

"Wait…th-that's the guy!" Ino suddenly jumped to her feet and pointed. I followed her finger and saw the same guy I had seen on TV. The elder of the two.

I recognized him almost immediately, "Yeah, that's the guy I was talking about! Gaara's cousin!"

"He was the guy who…" Ino trailed off. Her expression unclouded; like she had somehow connected the dots.

_Which_ dots, I had no idea.

"Uh huh?" I replied after I realized she wasn't going to continue.

Ino blinked, "Sorry. He's the one that got us these seats."

I raised an eyebrow in surprise, "Did you know who he was?"

"Not a clue—thought he was security or something…someone who worked backstage. I'm _so_ stupid."

"Well, how were you supposed to know?" I shrugged.

"I should've." She crossed her arms.

Before I could respond, I heard the sound of cymbals crescendo smoothly. Then, a single spotlight descended upon Konan as she began emitting a soft, fluid voice. The way she carried her voice seemed so effortless, every lyric she sang was mesmerizing to the last beat. All of a sudden, the heavy sound of an electric guitar caught the end of her vocals—almost as if they were attempting to banish any remaining silence. Female shrieks filled my ears as neon-colored lights danced all around the venue, revealing Itachi and the rest of the band. Overlapping the guitar soon after was the voice of a male rapper. Deidara's words were incoherent due to the echoing; yet his performance was still flawless. As soon as the rapping stopped, Konan picked up right where he left off—her voice now more assertive and powerful. The band followed her pace and volume diligently, creating an indescribable symphony of sounds. I couldn't believe my ears.

After another short course of Deidara's rapping, Itachi cut in with a sharp, precise guitar solo accompanied by some kickass drumming. A wave of screams once again filled the arena at the sight of Itachi leaning into his guitar, shoulders slightly hunched, an exhilarated expression consuming his features. There was something intimidating yet impressive about the inextinguishable blaze in his dark, smoky eyes. Halfway through, he leaned back, a little more relaxed then before, but intensity never dropping. It was at that moment I realized that although Itachi was a complete asshole, the passion displayed through his ferocity proved to be _real_. I inhaled sharply, a strange emotion flitting through me. I forced myself to will it away, ripping my gaze from him. My eyes landing on the other guitarist with the orange locks. His eyes were closed, his fingers running incredibly fast up and down the neck of his bass. Deidara finished up the song with another string of rapping, of course accompanied by the rest of the band. Konan bobbed her head in time to the beat, long drapes of dark hair moved along with her swaying figure. After one powerful strum that echoed through the stadium, an explosion of applause and screams obliterated the female lead's short 'thank-you'.

Dumbstruck, I glanced at Ino with wide eyes.

"Wow." Ino breathed.

I sighed, the bizarre feeling filling me again.

But by then, Akatsuki was already on their next song.

It would be much later that it would occur to me what that feeling was.

It would be much later that I would realized that feeling was _hope._

Hope that maybe, just maybe, the Itachi I had known nine years ago wasn't totally gone.

* * *

"He looked at you a couple times."

"Huh? Who?"

"_Sasori._ I mean, he knew where you were."

"Didn't notice." Ino said curtly, examining her chipped nailpolish.

I rolled my eyes, "Well at least we know why their so popular..."

Ino frowned now looking up from her nails, "Yeah. As much as I seriously hate Itachi..."

"...he was good."

Ino looked at me.

"At playing, I mean."

She continued to stare for a while. Then she sighed, "He was amazing. Ugh. I don't know whether to feel impressed and proud or annoyed and angry."

We hadn't move from our spots since the concert ended. Boy, did it ever end with a bang. _Standing ovations, encores..._

Slowly we collected our things. I nodded slowly, a little late in agreeing with my friend's statement.

Honestly, I didn't know _what _to feel.

I glanced around, "Ino, do you know how to get out of here?"

Ino lifted her head, swivelling her head, "Uhm. Let's just go out that door first."

We walked for a while, neither one of us wanting to admit we were completely lost.

"I...I think this is backstage." Ino squinted, stopping to think.

That's when I caught a glimpse of two familiar figures.

"Ino!" I grabbed her arm, "That's—Those are the twins that sang before!"

Ino grimaced, "You mean _Violet Generation?"_

"I want their autographs!"

Ino widened her eyes, "Are you _crazy_? We're not even supposed to be back here! What if they call security?"

Not hearing my friend, I took a few steps toward them. They seemed to be discussing something with their drummer, the same guy who had rapped in their song.

I felt a sharp tug on my arm, "Sakura. Don't. You. _Dare_. Go. Over. There." Ino growled.

"You're _such_ a wet blanket."

"And you're _such_ a child."

"This is probably my only chance! Please?"

"_No!_"

"Fine."

When Ino let go of my arms, I ran.

"Sakura!"

"I just want their autograph!" I yelled back at her.

When I got to about a meter away, I stopped running. Hinata was still talking to the drummer, but Neji was on the phone. From his expression, I could tell he wasn't happy.

I caught a few words before he hung up…

_"…this anymore…You couldn't even spare a fucking second? Whatever, I don't give a shit. Do what you want."_

I was glad I wasn't on the other end of _that _conversation.

"Who're you?" Neji demanded, crossing his arms.

I froze.

"Neji, what's going on?" Hinata questioned, making her way over to us.

"I asked you a question." Neji snapped, but his expression softened.

"Who were you talking to…?" Hinata asked, concern in her lavender eyes.

"Nobody." Neji growled, his face darkening. Then his turned towards me, his eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Were you listening on me?"

I choked, "No! I s-swear!"

"Brother, watch your manners." Hinata's tone lowered. "I apologize on Neji's behalf, miss." The bluette suddenly looked at me, her expression apologetic.

"It's okay! I just—"

"Sorry for my friend. She a big fan of yours and she just wanted your autographs." Ino cut in, finally catching up. Her nails dug in the back of my arm.

_Yeah, she's mad._

"Their letting fans back here now?" Neji scowled.

I noticed, however, that his demeanour seemed to relax ever so slightly.

"Of course, we'd be glad to." Hinata replied, shooting her twin a look.

_"Didn't expect to see you two here." _A dreadfully familiar voice drawled.

Ino snapped her head to her right. Right in time to see Shikamaru walking lethargically toward us.

Both our eyes flew open.

_Shit. Shitshitshitshit._

It took me a few seconds to realize he wasn't alone. Thank God, he wasn't with anybody in his band. However, the girl seemed familiar, but I couldn't place where I'd seen her.

"TenTen, Shikamaru!" Hinata smiled, running to Shikamaru. She flung her arms around the lazy artist, and he kissed her cheek.

_Oh! That's the receptionist girl we saw when we went to visit Itachi…what's she doing here?_

Ino shot me a tense look.

"Hey Hinata." TenTen smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. I couldn't help notice how her eyes flitted over to the left of Hinata, her smile completely vanishing.

The brunette glanced guiltily over to the male twin,"Hi Neji…"

Silence.

Everyone turned to the violinist.

Fear tingled up my spine at his expression. It was as if he was literally emitting waves of rage. His eyes narrowed once more, like slits. There was something eerily frightening about the fury in his pale eyes.

"What are you doing with _him_?"

"_Him _has a name." Shikamaru drawled, looking up. His expression was of someone who couldn't care less.

"Who asked you, _Nara_?" Neji spat.

Nobody spoke for a while. By now, everyone seemed uncomfortable, the tenseness palpable in the air.

"W-We better get going." Ino finally spoke. "It was good to meet you all."

She met my eyes. They read, _'You better fucking do what I say, Sakura.'_

"Bye everyone!" I said quickly, speed walking off with my best friend.

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

I panted heavily due to the fact that exercise was a foreign activity to me. When I finally caught my breathe, I glared at my sheepish looking friend.

"I _really _hate you. You know that?"

"I'm really _sorry_…"

"You realize this is _all _your fault?"

"I just wanted—"

"—Because of you now the band is going to know we were at the concert. And we're screwed. _Understand_? Fucking screwed!" I covered my face at the thought of an angry Sasuke…not to mention Naruto.

"I know!" Sakura blurted, "I'm sorry!"

My mind was still racing at the fact that Shikamaru was there...of all people. We were in_ so_ much trouble.

"Maybe…he won't tell." Sakura mumbled.

Who were we kidding? Kiba and Gaara were probably already there with him—we were _so_ dead.

"I'm really sorry!" Sakura apologized for the hundredth time and she looked miserable. Unfortunately, her pitiful expression suppressed my urge to punch her in the face. My anger died quickly and was soon replaced with defeat.

I sighed, "Lets just...forget it. We'll deal with it later."

"I need a drink..." She took the words right out of my mouth.

"This way." I smiled a little and led her to a club Kiba had told me about earlier. The Pink Frog. Apparently it was supposed to be one of the best.

_Let's try to forget about Kiba and the rest._

* * *

"Ugh, I feel way too under-dressed though." Sakura tugged at her form fitting top.

I scoffed and examined her shorts and tank combo, "You still look hot, Saks. That's all that matters."

"Well compared to you, I feel so...casual!" She flailed.

As we passed a figure reflecting window, I scrutinized my own outfit. I had on a tight black skirt that ended mid-thigh, and for my top I decided on a silky teal tank top, "Oh shush. We both look great."

"If you say so..." My rosette best friend trailed off—still unconvinced.

"You're impossible." I elbowed her in the ribs jokingly.

"Hey…what do you think that was? That…weird tension between Neji, TenTen and Shikmaru?" Sakura asked, her expression serious.

I gave her a surprised look, "Didn't think you'd notice."

Sakura snorted in return, "Wasn't it painfully obvious?"

"Mmhm."

"I'm guessing Shikamaru and Neji don't like each other."

A withering expression appeared on my face, "You're _guessing_?"

She ignored me, "But question is _why_? You think Neji has feelings for TenTen?"

I rolled my eyes, "How am I supposed to know?"

"I wonder if Shikamaru and TenTen are together. I mean, what other reason would their be?"

"You do realize this has nothing to do with you." I replied, spotting the club.

"I know…"

"Hey, that's the club." I nodded toward the bright building.

There was a crowd of people outside the building—not even waiting in line to get in. Some were smoking, drinking, or speaking very loudly on their phones. I scrunched up my face in disgust as we passed a couple of old guys trying to hit on younger, intoxicated girls.

My thoughts drove me to glance at Sakura—feeling a little uneasy. A few men leered at us, as I quickened my step.

"...Ino?" She blinked at me, confusion spread across her complexion, "You alright?"

I bit my lip and turned towards the club entrance, "We're only going to have one drink tonight, you hear me?"

"Okay." Sakura nodded quickly, sensing my distress.

The bouncer smiled at us and unclasped the velvet rope for us immediately. We thanked him and bee-lined for the bar.

Sakura immediately took a seat, made a face, and started bobbing her head to the blaring music. I giggled at her expression and simultaneously tried getting the bartender's attention. Maybe tonight would go by quicker if we just got drunk and forgot about the entire Akatsuki ordeal.

As I was about to order, two rough looking men approached us. One had bright copper hair, spiked upwards messily. His eyes were an intimidating coral-red. The man next to him had a mane of flat silver—cut slightly uneven above his eyes and his bangs were awkwardly ill-matched. His eyes were piercing. The orange-haired man focused his gaze on me, "Hey, ladies. Drinks on us tonight."

Tensing slightly, I turned to Sakura who looked eager to take up their offer (free drinks, perks of being a girl). My conscience protested as I convinced myself to live a little, worrying so much only made life less enjoyable. So I threw on a flirtatious smile, "Sure—why not?"

"Two beers and whatever these ladies order." The lighter haired one waved to the bartender. He smiled at Sakura, his teeth barred. I received a strange, unnerving vibe from his smile—it just didn't seem very...friendly.

I shook off the suspicion and answered some typical questions. An unsettling feeling continued to shift throughout my body, causing me to shake a little. A glass later, I felt warm and light headed—which I suppose was normal considering my incapability of handling alcohol.

"I-I-Ino..." A weak voice reached my ears.

I whipped around (which was a terrible idea) holding my aching head, "Sakura? You okay?"

"I...just—"

"—She's probably just drunk." The man with sharp looking teeth cut her off, "How about we drive you girls back?"

_I don't know if I'm drunk or not, but hell no._

"No thanks." I gripped my best friend's wrist protectively, and was taken by surprise when she suddenly leaned all her weight on me. I glanced at her to see half-lidded eyes and a confused expression, "Sa...kura...?"

_Something isn't right...I know she's a light weight, but she's not _this_ light._

"I think you two should come with us." It didn't sound like a suggestion.

I stopped keeping track of who was speaking when we were suddenly being shoved outside the club. One of them whipped out a phone, "Yeah, we got 'em...well hurry the _fuck_ up...yeah I see you."

Bright head lights drilled through the darkness until a large grey van halted in front of us. My chest tightened, panic invading my system. All I knew was that we were in trouble and that these guys were following a plan from the very beginning.

"Get in."

I kept an arm around Sakura and conjured up a lie willing my voice not to shake, "I'm waiting for my boyfriend."

The silver-headed man inched close, until I could smell his cigarette-alcohol breath, "Oh, he'll be joining us soon, _slut_. Not to worry."

A cruel grin spread across his lips as he signaled his friend and the driver over. Then, I realized that Sakura wasn't beside me anymore. She was being gripped harshly by one of the men, my eyes widened—reflecting terror. I felt my heart hammer against my chest, adrenaline and fear spreading through my whole being like a virus.

I couldn't speak.

I couldn't _breathe._

"_Ino!_" She screamed—tears of horror rolled down her cheeks. The man had one arm over her throat and the other holding her arms back.

_Where are all the people? Why isn't anyone helping us?_

"Leave her alone!" I slammed my heel desperately on the shorter man's foot as hard as I could.

"_You_ _fucking cunt!_" He screamed, slapping me across the face.

The impact of his strike blurred my already hazy vision. Blindly I swung at him, aiming for his nose, but was pushed viciously onto the concrete. I landed with my weight on my forearm and hip. Adrenaline kept my nerves numb and my mind sober.

"C'mon let's get out of here."

"What about Blondie?"

"Forget the _bitch_, we have one already. That's good enough. _Fuck, _a bouncer. Let's get out of here!"

All I heard after was a roaring engine fading quickly away. My mind went blank all of a sudden, I had no idea what to do. Pain registered through every inch of my body.

_Fucking, think. Fuck...think Ino! Think! THINK!_

My mind sifted frantically, _hysterically _for a plan.

_What do I do...?_

Tears sprang to my eyes.

Oh my God, what do I _do_?

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

_"Lemme go!" _I screamed frantically. I thrashed wildly, my brain fogging everything around me. Every sense, every rational thought.

A door slammed shut and soon I was alone in the dark.

_They…must've put something in my drink…_

"Juugo, you useless _motherfucker_." I heard someone hiss in front of the steering wheel, "Can't even drug a _bitch _properly?"

"I tried…I guess I underestimated the dose." A feeble voice cut through the murky waters of my consciousness. He seated himself in the passenger's seat.

"Whatever, at least we have one." A third snapped, "Just keep driving."

"Lemme out! You _asssssssholes_!" My throat was getting sorer. I couldn't see straight from the tears.

"Can you shut that bitch up?"

"How…?"

"I don't know, you fucking _idiot_. Slap her around a little."

Before I knew what was going on, I felt a sharp pain bloom on my left cheek. Then on my right.

"Now, be quiet." The copper-haired man hissed in my ear. I shuddered against the metal door, too shocked and terrified to move.

"That's better." The man said, relief in his voice.

"Please..." I sobbed. I was tired, confused and frightened. "Just let me go."

"I can't _do _that." The man said through clenched teeth. When I looked up, his eyes darted unsure from side to side.

_"Why?"_ I cried, my face crumpling in my hands.

He licked his lips hesitantly, bent down and lean into my ear, "Look," he whispered, "All you gotta do is shut up, be good and wait. You got that? Be good and you'll be back home before you know it."

I let out a soft sob and nodded reluctantly, tears falling freely down my face.

"Okay…good." The man said a little louder, tougher. He looked back once quickly.

"Suigetsu. Hurry up and call those bastards. Tell' em we got their little pink-haired _cunt_."

I felt a sickening thud against my chest.

There was a pause and the silver-haired man spoke into the cellphone.

"Remember me?" His taunting voice rang into the phone.

"Put it on speaker." The driver hissed.

I held my breathe, trying to eavesdrop onto their call. I was confused, but somehow I knew this had to be important.

_"I don't have time for scum." _A staticy voice spat from the receiver.

"Awh, forgotten your people already, Akasuna?"

There was a sigh._ "What do you want, Suigetsu?_

"Lots of things. Let's start with 500 grand." My kidnapper's voice dripped with amusement.

_"What game are you playing? You son of a bitch."_

"Careful Akasuna. We're giving you the chance to buy something of yours back. You should _thank_ us."

_"Son of a bitch! What have you done?" _Fury roared through the phone. I whimpered.

_What was going on?_

"Your little girlfriend is with us." Cruel laughter. Then his cold eyes met mine.

My eyes flew open.

_Girlfriend…?_

There was forced laughter, _"I don't know what you're talking about, you insane bastard."_

Suddenly the silver-haired man growled, his eyes darkening in anger, "Don't believe us, eh?" He gestured towards the orange-haired man currently next to me.

His next words caused my whole body to shake with terror, "Make her _scream._"

He hesitated, glancing at me with anxiousness. I pressed myself against the back of the van, panic and fear hitched at my throat.

"WELL WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" The driver screamed.

Before I knew what I was happening I was flipped on my back, a heavy body on top. Cold metal hit my fever-scorching skin and I realized my tank top had been ripped off.

A unearthly, blood-curling shriek fill the van. The van swerved dangerously in surprise.

Then I realized it was me.

I had no control over my body, and like a wild thing, I trashed and screamed. I didn't stop.

_"Shut the fuck up, bitch!" _

The last thing I remembered before I blacked out were two icy hands wrapped around my neck.

* * *

**Jaycee: **Hello to all you lovely readers! Thanks you all _sooo_ much for all your fantastic support :) This chapter was a bit difficult to write as you guys can all imagine. Had to arrange some angsty, angry music session with _tornupleather. _;) Confused? Good. Explanations will be offered up in the next chapter! Since this story is music related, we thought it would be only fair that we share some songs that inspire us. The _inspired_ opening songs and links that the **Violet Generation **and **Akatsuki **sing can be found on my profile under playlist! We'll be adding more songs as we go along :) Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Avis: **As hard as we try, we can't completely put music into words here. So listening to those songs would definitely help you all understand just how talented the bands are, and their styles we aren't able to truly describe.

_Thanks again for the support and reviews, we really do love feedback. :)_


	6. Dirty Ransom

**Disclaimer: **We do not own Naruto

**Title:** Landing Amongst the Stars

**Genre:** Romance/Drama/Angst

**Warning/s: **Violence and _Explicitness_

* * *

**LANDING AMONGST THE STARS**

Chapter Six: _Dirty Ransom _

A collaboration by _**Winter Psyche**_ and _**tornupleather**_

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

I couldn't move from my seat on the hard pavement, it was difficult enough trying to compose myself enough to figure something out.

_What happened to chivalry? Where the fuck is _my _knight in shining armor?_

Shaking the distraction from my (already dizzy) head, I held my breath in an attempt to hold back my frightened tears as well. I hated feeling like this—not being able to do anything to save Sakura. Unfortunately, the only person I had to call for help was my step-brother. Though, I was pretty sure Sasuke would kill the rosette and I before those maniacs could do anything to Sakura.

My breath hitched, tears still threatening to escape. I groaned in frustration and stood up in one, all too hasty, motion—only to have to rely on a street lamp for support.

"Okay, Ino," I narrowed my eyes and whispered to myself—alcohol still present in my system, "We are going to call Sasuke for help. That's the _only _way we can—"

**_Buzz, buzz._**

I grumbled a little as I struggled to dig out my phone, "...Hell_ooooo_?"

_"Ino. Where are you?"_

"Hmmm? Not too far from *hic* The Pink Frog." I had a harder time forming sentences than I imagined.

_"Is Sakura with you?"_

The reminder struck a sensitive nerve, "Oh, Sasuke...I didn't mean to let this happen! It's my fault that Sakura..."

I never finished what I was going to say, due to my overpowering urge to sob.

_"...Ino. Tell me what happened."_

I took a deep, somewhat soothing breath, "These guys gave us drinks, and then I don't know how, but...but they just _took_ her..."

A long silence passed and I began to think he hung up, until his voice started up again.

_"Stay where you are."_

A click confirmed that he'd actually hung up this time.

Even in my drunken state, I was still aware of this helpless feeling—something I hadn't felt for a long time...

**Flashback: **

_"I bet you wouldn't be able to find me!" A seven-year-old Sakura placed her arms on her hips challengingly._

_I scoffed and rolled glassy blue eyes at her idiocy, "Of course I can. I just have to look for pink hair poking out from under the desk."_

_"Then let's go to the forest! You wouldn't be able to find me there!" The small girl dared me, a fiery determination vivid in her bright jade orbs._

_"Fine! I have to ask daddy first." After a nod from my best friend, I flew down hard wooden steps—almost excited to prove Sakura wrong._

_Once I reached the last step I called out, "Daddy?"_

_There was no answer._

_I wandered around the house, hoping to find my dad or step-mom. Thinking no one was home and that it wouldn't matter if we stepped out for ten minutes, I sped back up the stairs, "Sakura, let's go!"_

_An overexcited Sakura raced across the field of grass towards the forest not too far from my house. She turned to holler at me, "Hurry up, Piggy!"_

_"Don't call me that!" I yelled back, a scowl quickly forming on my face._

_As soon as we reached the mouth of the forest, Sakura turned towards me, "Okay—count to sixty!"_

_Before I could respond, she was already gone, her vibrant hair whipping behind her. I shook my head—I didn't think I'd ever understand her competitive ways. As soon as I counted up to the assigned number, I called out dully, "Ready or not, here I come!"_

_My confidence deflated once I realized how long it was actually taking me to find the girl. I was pretty deep in the forest now, I still couldn't find my tiny best friend. I was about to yell 'uncle', but a sharp scream forced the word back down my throat._

_I scanned around the perimeters of the area I stood in._

_"Ino!" An all too familiar cry reached my ears._

_Sakura. Sakura was in trouble._

_"Sakura?" I ran aimlessly through the forest, attempting to track down the source of her cry. After whacking away a few branches and stepping over bushes, I found a mess of pink, "Sakura! What happened?"_

_She was on the dirt covered ground, whimpering as her hand covered her ankle._

_Concerned, I crouched down, "Tell me what happened."_

_"I think..." She looked at me with tear-filled eyes, "...I broke my foot."_

_"Where does it hurt, Saks?" I concentrated on the area she gripped, to be honest I never had much experience with injury._

_She pointed a small finger to her ankle._

_A strange emotion enveloped me, and it confused me greatly. I believed this feeling was one close to sadness...but I still wasn't able to place a finger on it exactly. Frustrated tears still threatened to fall._

_"What should we do?" I urged my best friend for an immediate answer._

_"Maybe your dad will know what to do!" Even through her suffering, she was still capable of smiling hopefully. My breath hitched._

_I nodded and stood, "Stay right here."_

_And with that, I ran as fast as my size five feet would allow me. Tears whipped past my cheekbones.. I still couldn't understand why I was crying. It wasn't I who got hurt, so how come I felt so...upset?_

_Consumed in figuring out the emotion, I tripped over my own feet and landed on soft grass right outside the house. The impact didn't hurt, but I tears still fell endlessly. What was happening to me? I needed to focus on getting help for Sakura._

_After allowing a few more tears to fall, I stood and raced through the unlocked doors, "Daddy? Mom?"_

_I flung door open left and right, in hopes of finding a parent. Someone...anyone who could fix Sakura._

_"Daddy!" I screamed in hopes that I would get a response. Nothing._

_More crying._

_And the reason was still unclear._

_Was it because I was worried about Sakura? No, it was more than that._

_"Ino?" I sniffled and looked up to find Itachi at the end of the staircase. His concerned irises stared back at my own teary ones, "What's wrong?"_

_Unable to waste another second I ran up to him and tugged at the sleeve of his shirt, "It's Sakura! She's hurt!"_

_Those once concerned eyes narrowed ever so slightly, "Where is she?"_

_The two of us ran for the forest, I cursed my slow speed—if it weren't for me...Itachi would be there by now. Once we found the familiar head of pink, Itachi knelt down and examined her ankle, "Sakura. Where does it hurt?"_

_She pointed to the spot she'd shown me before, "I think...I broke my foot."_

_Itachi frowned and took Sakura's little foot in his hand, massaging it. Then slowly he rolled her ankle. I watched my best friend reaction with patience I never thought I had._

_"...Does that hurt?"_

_Sakura winced, "A little...is..is it broken?"_

_ A low chuckle escaped Itachi's lips, "No, silly. You just sprained your ankle."_

_"So...nothings broken?" Big, hopeful eyes stared up at Itachi._

_"Nope." He shook his head, and as he did, the pieces of hair that framed his face so perfectly moved along with him. That was the moment when I realized how genuine Itachi Uchiha was. This was the person that I was so proud to call my big brother, "Sakura, can you stand long enough to get on my back?"_

_"Uh, I think...I can." She hopped on one foot and concentrated on climbing onto Itachi's build. A small squeak emitted from her throat as he lifted her off the ground._

_Itachi turned to catch a glimpse of her, "Don't worry, I got you."_

_Relief washed over me. _

_Everything was going to be okay. Itachi was here. Sakura would be okay._

_I trailed after the two, content with the result of the situation. It was times like these that I loved having a older brother that made me proud.  
_

_"Hey, Ino!" Sakura craned her neck to look at me, "I told you, you wouldn't be able to find me!"_

_She shot a toothy grin my way, and I stuck my tongue out as a response._

A sharp **_honk_** snapped me out of my reminiscent thoughts. Blinding headlights blocked my vision of the driver, but since the area was quite secluded, I knew the honk was meant for me.

I walked around the vehicle, then saw a familiar face—causing my stomach to flop.

"Ino. Get in the car."

I just stood there dumbfounded, "Itachi...?"

Next to him in the passenger seat, I recognized the redhead that provided VIP seats for us. My heart tightened nervously when Itachi flung the car door open and clasped a hand around my wrist, dragging me towards the vehicle.

"What are you doing? _No!_ I have to wait for Sasuke! You don't understand! Sasuke's suppo—"

"—That wasn't Sasuke on the phone, Ino." I blinked at him, paused right next to the car now.

"...Wait how did...?" I looked at him, then at Sasori who seemed tense.

"We don't have much time," He spoke gently—looking at me with stern brown eyes, "I promise we'll explain on the way."

I bit my lip, then entered the car obediently. Hopefully the knew where they were going, because I was completely clueless as to where they took Sakura, and how these two even found me to begin with.

"So..." I started quietly, intimidated by Itachi's stiff figure, "...how did you guys find me?"

"Like Itachi said, it was him that was on the phone with you earlier, " Sasori explained slowly, waiting for me to digest the information, "Earlier, I got a...disturbing...call from these guys saying they had Sakura."

I noticed that at the mention of my best friend's name, Itachi's hands on the steering wheel tightened, his pale hands turning a ghostly white shade. Through the rear-view mirror, I could see his furious expression. What really worried me though were his eyes—I'd never seen them so wild and hazy. Itachi Uchiha never lost his cool, and he sure as hell wasn't one to show emotion.

"What the fuck did you two do this time, Ino?"

_**ASSHOLE. ASS. HOLE.**_

Fury bore through my worry, desperation, and fear. I couldn't even contain myself long enough.

"We didn't _do **anything**_, Itachi." I strained to keep my volume low and intimating, "Who the _hell_ do you think you are?"

He didn't turn to look at me. He didn't catch my enraged expression in the rear-view mirror. He didn't even flinch.

_Surprise, surprise._

"You must've done something to make this big of a mess."

I wanted to scream. The only thing that stopped me was that I had to see Sakura. How the fuck was I supposed to know where they kept her?

Before I could respond, Sasori spoke, "Let's just focus on the situation at hand..."

I looked at him, then at Itachi. No words came to my mind or my lips, so I simply sat back and looked out the window.

_Sakura...please be okay. We're on our way...please be okay. _

I silently shed tears, in hopes that no one would notice...because then Itachi would think I was weak. I inwardly cursed myself for not having anything to wipe my tears with, but soon after—a small pack of Kleenex slid my way.

My tear-filled eyes looked up to see Sasori, who had a consoling look in his deep eyes.

"We're going to find her."

I smiled to 'thank-you' and took the tissues.

As I dried off my cheeks, the road suddenly got darker—dim streetlights barely had any affect through the darkness. I could feel gravel causing the car to shift left and right spontaneously. The area was secluded, with only one dark building far from where were stopped. Trees were lined up in a disorderly fashion around the average sized stone warehouse. There was only one window that glowed slightly—and it was placed squarely on the top quarter of the door. Even then it was still difficult to spot the establishment through the thick blackness we were trapped in.

Itachi immediately stepped out of the car once he turned the engine off. Sasori followed soon after, but spoke to me swiftly before shutting the door.

"Stay here. We'll be right back, _don't move_." He pinned me with a serious expression. Something about the tone of his voice stopped me from protesting.

Now I was alone, meters away from where Sakura was being held captive. It took everything I had to suppress my urge to race inside and see how she was holding up against those bastards.

I knew though that in doing so I'd just be causing more trouble.

So I stayed put.

___Everything was going to be okay. Itachi was here. Sakura would be okay..._

I sobbed endlessly when a threatening thought passed me.

_What if...we weren't so lucky this time?_

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

I bolted awake at the sound of a gunshot.

"YOU FUCKING IDIOT, CAREFUL WITH THE GUN!"

"S-Shit!"

Immediate panic shot through my system, despite my lethargy reflexes. I struggled against a unknown force that bound my arms.

As I took in my surroundings alarmingly, I realized I was bound to a frame of a bed. When I looked down I was shocked to see I was in nothing but my underwear. My bra was soaked with a brown substance I suspected was blood. The taste of it was tangible on my tongue.

A scream bubbled at the base of my throat as everything that had happened in the past 24 hours came back to me.

I was kidnapped.

I had no idea where I was.

I had no idea if Ino was alright.

Had I been shot?

_You're not dead._

Relief flooded my insides, but was replaced just as quickly with pain.

_God…make it stop._

My head ached, my collar stung. There was a bloody gash just bellow my left collarbone. Trails of dried blood ran down my chest. I let out a shudder and squeezed my eyes shut.

Pain blasted through my cheekbones. And my stomach burned at the memory of being suffocated.

"You're going to get through this Sakura. You're going to be okay." I whispered, tears collecting at the corners of my eyes.

"Looks like the slut's awoken from her slumber." A distinctively high-pitched voice rang.

My head snapped upwards and my widened, then winced in pain at the sharp string at my collar.

"Y-You…" I stuttered.

She smiled back, teeth barred, "Remember me?" She pushed up her black-rimmed glasses.

I screwed my eyes in confusion, "You're that girl we met…"

"Name's Karin." She stated simply. Then her face darkened, her eyes glistening wildly, "And you were that stupid _bitch_ who claimed to know Itachi."

My heart hammered against my chest. I was speechless.

_This…can't be happening._

I watched the terrifying girl put on a fake smile, as she examined her red-painted nails, "But it turns out I was wrong and you were right. You _do_ know him," she took a few steps towards me, "Tell me, _Sakura_, what's your relationship with Sasori?"

I furrowed my brows in confusion, the drug slowing down my thought process, "What?"

_"I'M ASKING YOU HOW YOU KNOW SASORI AND WHY THE FUCK YOU WERE IN THE VIP ROOM!"_ Karin suddenly screeched.

I flinched in fear, using my legs to push me backwards.

Karin eyes were insane, demented.

"What? You didn't think I saw you up there? You and your _pretty _pink hair just made it so _obvious_."

Then she burst out _laughing_.

_Oh my God. She's crazy. God save me._

"You should see your face." Karin spoke, after she had caught her breath. "Oh wait! You can."

She smiled then, taking a few steps back, making sure I was looking at her.

I let out a sob, "You're one crazy _bitch_."

"Yeah." She paused, her eyebrows knitted together in a eerily thoughtful expression, "I get that _a lot_. But onto more important matters. Look at this. Isn't it pretty? It cost me a pretty penny." Karin gestured towards a large camera set. Something I imagined directors would use to film movies.

"You're…filming me?" I gasped in disbelief.

"Why, of course! We need to make sure Sasori sees your _true_ slutty self!" Karin exclaimed, as if excited at the thought.

_What…?_

"What does Sasori have to do with anything? I've never even spoken to him!" I roared, frustrated with this maniac's taunting.

Terror gripped my heart when Karin's expression darkened once more, "You little liar. _I KNOW YOU'RE LYING!_" Karin paused and closed her eyes, then she smiled dangerously sweet, "Why else would he let you in VIP section? You know, you're not his first. He's brought all his past girlfriends up there."

My eyes widened as realization sat in. Did this deranged bitch think I was Sasori's girlfriend?

It was my turn to laugh—in disbelief.

"Funny? You think this is _funny_? Don't believe me? You're nothing but a _plaything_ for Sasori!" Karin's nostrils flared, her greasy red hair framing her wide-set face.

I screwed my eyes, "I don't know what the hell you're talking about, you _crazy bitch_!"

Karin snorted, flipping her hair. Her eyes grew dull and she grinned.

"Juugo, c'mon let's start! We don't have much time until they arrive!" Karin squealed, bringing her hands together.

What was disturbing was the fact that if I hadn't been in this situation, Karin could have seemed like a complete innocent fan.

_Like the time we met her..._

_No...even then...there was something strange about her._

"Karin...should we really be doing this?" I recognize the boy with copper hair.

I screamed.

Nobody paid attention.

"Juugo, my _sweet_. Don't drop out on me now. Or you'll regret it, baby." Karin said sickly soft, seating herself behind the camera.

I shivered, fear pumping back into my system. My hands curled, clumping together the white sheet beneath me.

"But the money's 'gon be paid. Do we really—"

"Get on the_ fucking_ bed, Juugo." Karin's shrill voice cut like a knife.

I whimpered, as Juugo's eyes met mine.

He sighed, but slowly made his way onto the bed. I drew back, my heart hammering. I was suddenly gasping for air.

_No! Please no! NO!_

"Just...go along with it. It'll be over soon." Juugo mumbled, not meeting my eyes as he sat at the edge of the mattress.

I screamed again, the echo bouncing off the hall walls of wherever the fuck we were.

"Alright, I like your enthusiasm!" Karin beamed, "Juugo, entertain the camera."

I shook my head, tears blurring my vision, "Please, don't _do_ this."

I flinched back, when Juugo came over to the frame, his hands and knees on the bed.

Terrified, I lifted up a leg to kick him. He caught it easily, using it as an anchor to bring himself closer. Catching my other leg, he lifted himself up so that his torso was positioned in between my legs.

"Get _off_!" I bawled, jerking left and right.

I heard a grunt when my foot hit flesh.

"This is pathetic Juugo! Hurry up and do something!" Karin snapped.

"My hands a little busy here, bitch." Juugo growled, glaring at the redhead.

Then he leaned down, bringing his face dangerously close to mine.

I looked him straight in the eye, and snarled.

"Fucking bitch..." Juugo sighed, "I don't want to hurt you. But you're making it difficult. The screaming and _moving_ is what she wants. Your reactions 'n' stuff, so stop." He hissed into my ear.

I stared unseeingly at the ceiling. Even so, I heard a small, inner voice shed words that made me shudder in response.

_Maybe...maybe he was right._

_Maybe you should stop fighting._

I whimpered softly, turning my face away in shame. I let my body fall limp beneath him. I wouldn't lose to the mad fangirl.

He paused, as if registering my silent submission.

"…Good." He sighed again, loosening his grip on my legs cautiously. When I didn't move to kick him, he let go of them entirely, instead placing his rough hands on the plain of my stomach.

His hands crept upwards, sucking in a quick breath.

"You're so soft." He murmured, dipping his head and pressing his lips right above my belly-button.

I stiffened, scrunching my face in disgust.

_God…please….let this be a dream._

Juugo trailed light kisses up my stomach, his hands now cupping my breasts through my bra. A hand slipped under my back, unclasping it, while the other crept under the fabric of my bra. His finger tips brushed my nipple.

I heard him moan.

I bit back a sob, holding in any emotion ready to burst through. I willed myself to stay completely still.

_Detach yourself…Sakura. _

_Think of…home. The beach, the outdoors…_

"Wait a second." Karin's shrill voice broke through my frail wall of security, "Why isn't she _doing _anything?" I glanced up to Karin the same time Juugo did.

Out of no where, a pale-haired man with glasses emerged from the darkness from the expanse beyond. My heart slammed erratically. His eyes were glazed over, his breath a little harder than should of been normal. My skin pricked with revulsion and alarm, as his eyes trailed lecherously down my body, stopping just where my legs were spread. He licked his lips slowly.

"Juugo, you little _bitch._ Karin, lemme go at her. I'll make sure you get a _reaction_."

"Fuck you, Kabuto." Juugo snapped, sitting up slowly.

I slid back, shivering uncontrollably. I desperately fought back tears that were beginning to form.

"Let him." Karin commanded, rolling the camera closer to the bed.

"This shit is fucked up." Juugo hissed, ripping himself off me. I yelped in surprise, bringing my knees up to my chest. I ignored to pain that blossomed in my arms. I felt like my arms were being pull from their sockets.

Rage emitted from my throat, "Get the _fuck_ away from me!"

Kabuto merely smiled, his cold eyes never leaving my body. A knee sank into the mattress, and I felt the dip in the bed as if pulling me closer to him.

"My, you're going to be fun." Kabuto sneered, but his eyes were thick with lust, his voice was like gravel underneath a rolling tire. I could see his growing arousal through his jeans.

I bit my bottom lip, drawing blood. I tried to hold in a scream, but it was growing more difficult by the second.

"You're _disgusting_." I snarled.

He slapped me hard, and my head snapped to the side. My body slammed back into the frame from the impact, winding me. My eyes stung.

"I'm going to fuck you until you _scream_. And then _fuck _you again in front of your boyfriend." He said with a fearsome growl.

Unable to speak, I shook my head, as tears ran down my swollen face. Small whimpers escaped my mouth.

"Yeah, take it like a fucking bitch!" He screamed, grabbing my neck with his right hand and squeezing.

I spluttered, panic seizing any further courage I had. My mouth opened, my lungs desperately trying to suck in oxygen it didn't have access to. I was beginning to feel lightheaded, spinning in a frenzy, white and black dots dancing across my vision. I shut my eyes.

_Like stars..._

"Now, don't pass out on me now." I heard someone say. Far away.

_"Kabuto! Keep her conscious, you idiot! I need her conscious!" _

The pressure around my neck released. Oxygen crashed into my lungs.

Pain came a heartbeat later.

My lungs burned, a hot swelter. Liquid acid poured into my chest.

I heaved as my eyes rolled to the back of my head. There was a throb in my head, pounding nastily against my forehead.

_If I'm going to die...please...let it be quick._

A hand ripped off my already un-clasped bra.

Before I could react, a hot mouth closed over a nipple, a wet tongue circling it sloppily. I could feel saliva ooze down my stomach.

I screamed, frantically kicking but with no avail. He was straddling my hips, grinding down on me. I could feel his erection, thrusting erratically, through the slick fabric of my underwear. His movements were sloppy and rushed, and there was a terrifying high in his eyes.

Tears ran freely down my face, my throat stinging from my panic-stricken cries.

My cries were swallowed by a gasp, when I felt two slick fingers press against my most intimate place.

I gasped, struggling to break free, but he only clamped his legs tighter down, lost in his lustful state.

They traced the folds of skin, rubbing up and down roughly.

"You're wet, slut." He said viciously, "Yeah I know you want this, _whore_. Beg for it."

I spat in his face.

Cursing, he slapped me again. Then in one motion his fingers slid the moist fabric to the side, and shoved his fingers up inside me.

My body spasmed and an animalistic cry ripped from my throat. I squeezed my eyes shut, the pain insufferable.

My body seized against the intrusion; rejecting, clenching...

"_Fuck._ You're so fucking tight." Kabuto hissed in ecstasy.

Then he began to pump, faster each time, eliciting wails of pain. With his other hand, he sloppily undid his zipper, freeing his fully hard member. He stroked himself, his head back in callous pleasure, pressing roughly against me.

Every nerve screamed. Every cell in my body clamped against the intrusion, as fear wrapped it's malicious digits suffocatingly around my heart.

_I'm going to die...it's hurts...it's hurts so much..._

_"Kabuto! This is great but you've got to slow the fuck down! They aren't even here yet!"_

_"Fuck...can't wait." _

My eyes flew open as without warning, he pulled out his fingers. He made eye-contact with me as he sucked my juices off his fingers.

I screwed my eyes in disgust.

Suddenly he straightened, taking his cock in one hand and placing it at my entrance. I could felt the hot pad of skin just graze my sex. My body convulsed, acidic alarm filling my insides.

The pounding in my ears prevented me from hearing anything outside of my own head.

I was on the brink of passing out once more, my murky consciousness slipping in and out.

_"Kabuto, they're here. Hold on a second." _

And then, a second later, he was gone. Off me. Cold air soothed my stomach and thighs. Confused and disoriented, my head snapped up.

"Get your fucking hands off me Juugo, _I'll kill you, you fucking bastard_!"

"Hold off a fucking second!" Juugo growled, incasing Kabuto's arms and holding him back from the bed I currently laid in.

"Juugo! Kabuto, behave yourselves! We have guests!" Karin laughed, turning her head towards the entrance of wherever we were.

The echoing of multiple footsteps could be heard across the floor. They stopped abruptly. Almost jerkily.

Then I heard it.

A broken gasp. It was sorrow, pain, horror and rage in _one word_.

My _name_.

_Sakura..._

I looked up, tears trailing heavily down my cheeks.

_Those eyes..._

_Those eyes belong to Itachi. _

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

I didn't know exactly how long I'd been waiting, but it must've been at least over half an hour. By now my crying had ceased somewhat, because I had to believe in Itachi—as much as I still hated him, he and Sasori were the only ones that could help.

All of a sudden, my ears picked up the sound of a phone buzzing, the sudden noise caused me to flinch. The vibrating continued, and I reached over to the passenger seat to find a black iPhone lighting up. A familiar name was flashing on the screen: it was their manager.

"Hello?" The alcohol had worn off a bit, making it possible for me to speaking normally.

_"Sasori? Where the hell are you?" _An enraged male scolded from the other end.

I paused for a second, thinking Jiraya's call would be some sort of miracle, "Sasori...isn't here."

_"Huh? Who is this? Where's Sasori?"_ Being ushered with questions I wasn't sure how to answer was a little overwhelming.

"Um..." I stammered trying to configure a comprehensible sentence, "We need help...my friend...she's in trouble."

I could feel the hysteria bubble up inside me.

There was some mumbling coming from his end that was barely audible to me. I automatically assumed he was speaking to the rest of the band, _"...think it's them...yeah get the van...Hello? Do you know where you are, Miss?"_

"Um...all I know is that there's a warehouse near a bunch of trees. Not too far from 'The Pink Frog' I think..." I answered nervously—scared to give out false information.

_"Where are they now? Itachi's with him isn't he?"_ The man questioned some more.

I stared longingly at the stone building, still incapable of seeing what was going on, "Sasori and Itachi are inside the warehouse. They've been in there for a while..."

_"...those little fuckers...!"_ A different voice, raspier, was faintly picked up by the receiver, _"...payback...hurry up old man...We're on our way. Stay put."_

Then the line was disconnected.

_Where else did I have to go at this point?_

I sighed and tossed the iPhone back to it's original spot. As I leaned back, I noticed something particularly dark by the window. I shut my eyes, took a breath, and turned.

A petrified scream escaped my throat once I came face to face with a masked figure.

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

I couldn't believe my eyes. I must have been dreaming.

My eyes deceived me as they lay on the one person who didn't make sense being here.

_Why is he here?_

There was a dangerous stirring in my chest, and I felt the vomit rising. I couldn't take the look in his eyes, but they held me captured inside them like a blackhole sucking me into the unknown.

I didn't take long, however, for the horror to settle in my foggy brain.

Itachi was here.

He was _here._

In front of me. His eyes were crazy. But in a different way than Karin's were.

He was dressed in a black suit. Pale fists curled at his sides.

He looked like a statue, almost moving, but frozen at the same time.

Every inch of his persona looked ready to explode at any moment.

I didn't understand.

_Why is he here?_

Then he said my name a second time.

But this time, it was strained. Hard. Serious. No broken gasp.

"I'm going to get you out of here." He narrowed his eyes that were tinted a familiar shade of red.

The same shade of red I'd seen as a child, whenever he was angry or upset.

I nodded slowly, as if not quite understanding his words.

_Why is he here?_

But one thing I knew for sure. He _was _here. In flesh standing just a few feet away.

There was a slight pain as Kabuto stuck a needle into my arm. Only for a second.

Everything seems to blur together, every sound, every movement.

Itachi lunged towards me, but someone grabbed his arm.

Sasori.

He spoke calmly, but he didn't look calm.

His eyes blazed with rage, and his lips were set in a tight line. His hair looked duller than usual, and his arm that held Itachi loosened almost immediately as if regretting its actions.

Slowly, colors bled through others, and I felt completely disoriented.

There was exchanged words, cruel laughter, curses...

But suddenly I couldn't hear anything. I felt my body losing to the drugs. Numbness filled my body. Clouds steamed up in my head, I couldn't think straight. I felt like the world was zooming in and out much to quickly for me to follow. My eyes drooped. I didn't know where I was.

"Itachi! Sasori! Oh my god, you guy are here. Oh my _god._" Karin's head bobbed up and down.

"Shut the fuck up Karin and film!" Kabuto said nastily.

_"Oh my god. Itachi, I love you. Oh my god—"_

"Itachi...get away." I heard myself whimper. And then I was pressed into the bed.

Cruel laughter in my ear. White head of hair shaking on top of me.

"Well, well. I guess we got the _sluts_ mixed up. This one's yours, isn't it _Itachi_?"

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

After breaking into the car by shattering the windows, I was dragged out roughly by two men in masks.

My fists curled in aggression, this was bad...so very _very_ bad.

"Karin's right for once, those two really did get new chicks." The man on my right directed the statement towards his partner - but then his cold eyes darted towards me, "Pity you two fell for the biggest bastards in Tokyo."

_Fell for...? Oh fuck, they think...shit._

Even though I wanted to deny the statement, just tell them they were being idiots, I stayed silent and looked at the ground. Dread sank in as I noticed where they were taking me. The warehouse.

I was going to see Sakura. Itachi and Sasori were in there. And...I looked completely helpless once again.

Pushing away my self-pity, I concentrated on picking up the conversation happening inside.

"Man, if the bitch would just let us shoot 'em already."

_Can these fucking goons just be quiet?_

"...fuck do you want?" _Itachi?_

"Sons of bitches!" _Sasori._

"Heh." A low chuckle from on of my captors, "Seems like things are getting interestin'."

My heart sank slowly as they opened the doors: the room was dimly lit, it looked more like a dungeon than a warehouse really...

I scanned the room immediately for Sakura, and my eyes zoomed in on a practically naked figure tied onto an old looking bed. I wanted to shriek at the sight, a man with silver hair gathered in a low ponytail was playing with her...literally. Sasori's hands were curled into shaky fists, every muscle in his body seemed to tense. Itachi was glowering at the male above Sakura, who had a gun ready in his hand.

A shudder traveled down my spine as I noticed dark brown trails near my best friend's chin and collarbone.

_Blood._

Excluding my captors, there were three other people in the room. I shivered at the sight of the kidnappers we had met at the bar and an obscure figure behind a camera set. I squinted and my stomach rose in my throat instantly when the figure glanced up to meet my gaze.

_That...**bitch**._

"Well," The man with the gun pointed at Itachi chuckled darkly, "What do we have here?"

Itachi's irises seemed to have a dangerous tint of crimson in them...and they never left Sakura. Unfortunately, he was the only one that didn't end up staring at me. I bit my lip and looked at the concrete floor, this was so shameful and embarrassing.

"Caught the second one." A sickeningly proud grin appeared on the man to my right.

"Welcome!" The man with the silver hair opened his arms wide.

"Bastards." Sasori growled, his darkened eyes still drilling into me, "Just tell us what the fuck you want."

"Like we said on the phone," One of the men twirled his gun carelessly around a finger, "money."

Simultaneously, Sasori and Itachi pulled out their wallets and chucked them towards the man. He started with a scoff, that grew into a chuckle, then his small laugh grew into a maniac-like cackle.

Our two saviors looked at one another—Sasori spoke, eyes narrowed, "What the fuck's so funny?"

"Forgot already, boys?" Another unrecognizable man joined in, "500 grand or this'll be the last time you see your little _whore_s."

A growl emitted from deep within my step-brother's throat.

"Keep your hands off them," Sasori's voice was strained, like he was holding back a furious growl of his own, "_both_ of them."

"You don't seem to be in a position where you can call the shots, Akasuna." The man to my left mocked cruelly.

_These guys are insane._

"What should we do with this one?" My hair was pulled, forcing my head to snap backwards instantly. I tried my best to not make a sound, because that's what they wanted, "She seems like a tough one to break."

"That's 'cause you didn't drug her properly, idiot." A voice echoed, my blond strands were still in a tight hold so I couldn't match the voice with a body.

Once I was released, my eyes immediately fixed on Sakura who looked completely gone. Her eyes were dull and weary, as the man with glasses ravished her body as if she were a new toy. I was disgusted by the sight, and my knees grew weak—there was nothing I could do. Not even Itachi or Sasori could help us at this point.

"So what's it going to be..." the man above Sakura trailed a finger from her neck to her exposed womanhood, "give us the money, or we get to keep your _pets_."

He was enjoying this. And it was sickening. I felt my stomach drop in detestation.

"Enough!" Itachi growled, taking a step forward. His eyes were narrowed, but pain etched in the corners, as if he couldn't bear to watch.

He was stopped, however, by a gun aimed right above his temple.

Kabuto's eyes glimmered, his hand pausing on Sakura.

"Don't like other men touchin' your girl, Itachi? That sounds a little selfish to me." He sneered then, slamming a finger inside my best friend. I heard myself scream, as Sakura moaned in pain as her back arched. Her face was gleamed in the low light from perspiration and tears.

_"Bastard!" _Itachi roared.

"Kabuto, stop this. We said we'll do whatever you ask!" Sasori snarled. He seemed to be shaking uncontrollably.

Kabuto smiled mockingly, "Well now you've got my attention."

My eyes widened all of a sudden when Itachi unclenched his fists, lowered his head, and cast down his eyes.

There was an intense silence as every pair of eyes fixed on Itachi.

Slowly, he lifted his head and I felt my heart throb painfully as he whispered his next word:

"..._P__lease_."

My heart almost stopped, as tears whelmed up in my eyes. And finally, my knees buckled and I knelt down on the hard floor. The men let go of their hold but still stuck to my sides.

I let out a sob, "_Itachi..._"

"We can give you the money, just let them go." Sasori had the same defeated expression on his face.

My sob grew louder and louder, I wrapped my arms around my stomach; holding myself together.

_This is all our fault..._

"Well, well, well..." The man snickered and shoved Sakura aside so he could stand, "The great Akatsuki begging for their worthless _whores_."

Neither of them spoke.

Bending down, Itachi picked up his wallet and pulled out a cheque, plucking a pen from the front pocket of his suit. After scrawling down on the sheet quickly, he threw the piece of paper and the pen on the ground.

"Write down any number you want."

"Itachi," Sasori's eyes opened a fraction wider.

Another laugh exploded from the white-haired man, "How do I know this isn't a fake? Huh? Cash up front or we keep your girls."

Sasori and Itachi exchanged grim looks. I had never seen Itachi Uchiha helpless in my entire life. It revolted me because I knew this was all a game. And they just _had_ to choose Sakura and I of all people to taunt my brother with.

I noticed Itachi was about to speak when two men barged in, their eyes round with fear.

"_**Fuck**_. K-Kabuto, Karin! We're in big trouble!"

"What is it? This better be good!" Kabuto snapped.

"J-Jiraya...and the rest of em'...they're all here!"

* * *

**A/N: **_Whew._ Getting a little intense over here. Some parts were especially difficult to write—I had to leave of screen multiple times from frustration and anxiety. I've had nightmares of crazy Karin. It's going to get a little worse before it gets better, but hang in there, happier times are surely to come…I hope. Thank you for all your reviews. They strike melodious chords in my heart :)

**tornupleather: **Holy crap. This took a lot out of us to write, and I have to give it up to **_W_****_inter Psyche _**for not being eternally traumatized after writing her scenes. Again, there is SO much more to come. We have big, big plans for these girls.

_Thank you for all your wonderful support, your reviews are always much appreciated and gushed over :) _


	7. Miscommunications

**Disclaimer: **We do not own Naruto

**Title:** Landing Amongst the Stars

**Genre:** Romance/Drama/Angst

* * *

**LANDING AMONGST THE STARS**

Chapter Seven: _Miscommunications_

A collaboration by _**Winter Psyche**_ and _**tornupleather**_

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

**Flashback:**

_My mother stood in front of me, her tear-stricken face wavering with each word. She was standing behind the kitchen window. I could see soft white dots float down behind her. We hadn't had snow for a while._

_"Sakura..."_

_"Mom!" I yelled, grabbing her skirt frantically, "What's wrong? Where's daddy?"_

_I could feel wet drops fall on my face. I didn't know if they were my mother's or my own._

_"Sakura," my mother repeated, a little more sternly, as if snapping herself back, "He's not here anymore."_

_I crinkled my face and shook my head, "I know, but where's daddy?" I asked again, with more urgency._

_I didn't know it at the time why I felt like my head was swelling and my tongue heavy like lead. My face felt hot against my mother's cool silk skirt, and I rubbed it against the soothing fabric, inexplicably trying to find some sort of solace in the action._

_"Sakura, I told you."_

_I stomped impatiently, encircling a slim leg, "But where **is **he?"_

_"He's...gone on a trip." Her voice sounded strange, high-pitched and shaky. I drew my head up._

_"Like, when he went across to fairy world and brought back presents?" I asked uncertainly. I searched my mother's face for reassurance. _

_She shut her eyes, "Yes."_

_I smiled then, releasing her, and jumped up and down. I nodded frantically, "That's why his stuff is gone, right Mommy?"_

_"Yes."_

_"I'm going to Ino's house!" I beamed._

_"Don't forget your coat. Be home by six..." I heard my mother trail weakly._

_Ignoring her, I ran. The cold and snow whipping into my face, bringing tears to my eyes._

_When I finally reached the clearing I stopped, breathing laboriously. I could smell the fresh odor of crisp fallen snow. The trees looked especially majestic covered in their white gowns. They swayed silently, dancing. I took off my shoes and sweater, digging my toes into the freezing layer of white ice crystals._

_I stared at the trees for a while, my hair damp from the frozen flakes of rain. My face was warm from the run but my hands and feet numb from the cold. I brought my palms to my cheeks, watching the clouds of air escape my lips with each pant. The sting lasted for only about a few minutes until the pain seeped away with the bitter chill. _

_I don't remember how long I stood there, watching snowflakes fall to the ground. The wind caressed my face with its long icy fingers and soon I couldn't feel anything at all._

_The cold was seeping into my clothes, skin and insides. I sighed and closed my eyes, letting the wintry coolness take over my whole body._

_I startled when two arms wrapped around my frozen frame, the warm touch stinging my skin. I blinked in surprise but realized I was too cold to speak._

_"It's going to be okay, I promise." A voice whispered in my ear, tingling the hair around it._

_"I-Itac-chi." I shivered._

_"I know." His arms tightened around me and I could feel his warmth permeate my the thin fabric on my back, his breath melting the frost on my neck._

_My face crumpled then, and I let out a painful sob._

_His arms only held on tighter._

_"He's not coming back, is he? Not this time." I cried, covering my eyes with my frozen hands._

_"I'm sorry, Sakura." Itachi said painfully, pressing his lips to my temple._

_"Why doesn't he love me?" I wept heavily, bringing my hands to my sides but unable to move any fingers. _

_"You're wrong." Itachi's replied, his voice laced with grief, "You're wrong..."_

_I cried harder, my whole body shaking from the cold and heartache._

_I didn't remember falling asleep but when I woke up...I was in the hospital, wrapped up in sheets. On my forehead was a hot towel._

_"Sak!" Ino cried, grabbing my hand, "Your lips were blue." _

_I shifted groggily, squinting at my best friend. _

_"Where…where is he?" I asked softly, my voice husky and dry. I coughed. _

_The blonde smiled despite her initial tears, "Itachi's outside, talking to your mom. He carried you back to my house. But…you weren't awake." _

_I shook my head impatiently, but sleep was consuming me once more. My eyelids drooped, as I desperately tried to fight the drowsiness. As if fighting for consciousness would help me find my **father**._

* * *

"Sakura…hey. You awake…?"

I slowly slipped my eyes open, groaning at the brightness.

"I feel like shit." I mumbled, closing my eyes and bringing the blanket over my head.

"I know…uhm. Deidara came in just a few minutes ago and gave us some Advil. I don't know about you, but I have a killer headache."

I snorted, "That's because you drank too much."

A pregnant silence fell, but I disregarded it. I shifted to face away from the light.

"Sakura…?"

"Mmmm?"

"Do…how do you feel?"

Slowly I blinked my eyes open. Then I jolted up, turning my head side to side.

"Did you just say Deidara?" I asked, cocking my head to the side.

I glanced at Ino, her eyes strangely wide, there was a bizarre expression on her face. My eyes flew open at the realization.

"Shit! Did you hook up with Deidara?" I hissed, "Oh god. Did _I _hook up with him?" I flailed frantically, raking a hand through my messy hair.

"Sakura!" Ino snapped suddenly.

I faced her, relief washing over me, "You're joking right…? But where are we?" I swiveled my head once again.

"Are you seriously…do you…" Ino trailed off, biting her lip. She got off of the bed then, looking at me squarely in the face, "Sakura, are you telling me you don't remember what happened last night?"

I panicked, I had ever seen such an expression on my best friend's face before, "Oh god Ino…did I do something really bad? Shit…I don't even remember drinking that much. Who's house are we in?"

I watched nervously as my friend's face darkened, a dangerous look crossing her features, "Sakura…tell me what you remember."

"Er…" I began, raking my brain for details of night last, "I…oh! You were…we met these guys." I stammered.

Ino tensed, then suddenly loosened, her expression almost…relieved?

"What?" I demanded. "Ino, you better fucking tell me what happened. I don't care how bad." A wave of nausea passed through me, and I held my head, wincing.

"I hooked up with Deidara." Ino said slowly, turning slightly away from me.

I stiffened, "Is that all…?"

She nodded, now fully faced away. I narrowed my eyes.

_She's hiding something._

"What aren't you telling me?

Ino smiled then, but I noticed it didn't reach her transparent blue eyes, "Well you…you uhm, hooked up with Ita—_Sasori_."

My heart stopped, "Excuse me?"

If anything, Ino looked just as surprised, "Yeah, they were at the club."

"_Excuse me_?" I repeated, my voice at the edge of hysteria.

This couldn't be happening to me. I couldn't have hooked up with Sasori. _What the hell?_

_WHAT. THE. …?_

"Okay so you're saying we hooked up with two members of the Akatsuki." I said slowly as if talking to a five-year-old.

Ino sighed, bringing a hand to her forehead, "Yeah."

I blubbered, "B-But...How...! I don't _understand_!"

"Well you better believe it because we're in their guest room right now..."

"We're in...Deidara's house?" I squawked.

"We're in one of the FU entertainment dorms." She shifted away from me, grabbing a glass of water off the bedside table and handing it to me. In her other hand were two red pills.

I blinked.

"Say what?"

"They're sponsored by FU entertainment." Ino rolled her eyes, "Takes these and feel better okay? I'll go grab you breakfast."

I obliged, swallowing the pills in two gulps.

I began to lie down, but winced at the shooting pain bellow my neck. Glancing down I noticed I was covered in bandages. I widened my eyes in alarm, touching the binding gingerly.

_"Ino!"_

She ran back into the room, her eyes wide, "What? What is it?"

I pointed to my collar, "I'm hurt!"

Her blue eyes flashed then settled quickly, "You fell."

"Oh…on my neck?"

"Yeah."

"Is that even possible?"

"For you? Anything's possible."

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

I don't know why I lied, all I knew was that I couldn't tell Sakura. Guilt crept up the back of my neck as I heard the rosette groan in pain as she was probably just discovering more injuries.

I hesitated, wanting to run back in the bedroom and order her not to strain herself, but I bit my lip instead, not wanting to sound more suspicious than I already did.

A thought hit me.

Why the fuck did I say she made out with Sasori? Of all people...

I shook my head, feeling a slight blush spread across my cheeks. Now was not the time to think about him.

I slipped into the kitchen and was suddenly greeted with the smell of bacon and eggs. I set a new plate onto the table, trying not to eavesdrop on the low rumbling of voices farther down the hall.

My hand lingered on the refrigerator door.

Sakura shouldn't know what happened last night. It would be better for her if she didn't remember anything...

**-Flashback-**

_"One more step, and I swear I'll f-fucking shoot!" Kabuto screamed, waving the gun in front of Sakura's face._

_"Kabuto, it's over. Put the gun down." Jiraya moved closer, a gun in his hand. He spoke slowly, his face a mask of calm._

_Sakura groaned again at the pressure of Kabuto's weight. _

_Behind him emerged Konan and Deidara, their faces dark, each holding a gun as well._

_"Kabuto! Just fucking stop it!" Juugo cursed, running a hand through his orange hair. The look on his face projected an intense fear as he watched Jiraya make his way towards Kabuto._

_"You're all dead." Konan spat, literally. _

_I tried to stand up, but found myself unable to, my knees weak. _

_"Think careully, Kabuto. Do you really want to do this?" Jiraya asked, his face grim, "There's no turning back." _

_"It's your fucking fault in the first place!" Kabuto sneered hysterically, keep his gun trained heavily on my best friend's forehead._

_Watching Sakura in pain caused a infuriation bubble inside my stomach. I felt my throat close up watching the weapon so close to her face._

_"Kabuto. What happened to you? You're weren't like this." Jiraya continued as if Kabuto hadn't spoken._

_I watched something shift in Kabuto's eyes. A strange undecipherable expression._

_"Don't pretend you fucking care, Jiraya. You sacked us. You sacked **me**."_

_Jiraya face contorted in pain, "Because you let the industry get to you. Your love of music died with the pressures of entertainment. I let you go because I wanted to help you, not because I didn't care. __I let you go because I thought there was a chance you could save yourself."_

_At that, Kabuto let out a furious hiss, "Shut up! Just shut the fuck up! You underestimated me and now you're all gonna pay!"_

_And then there was a gun shot._

_My heart stopped._

_Silence._

_Everyone froze._

_A red flower bloomed on Kabuto's chest._

_And then he fell to the floor._

* * *

_Everything that happened afterwards...flew by like a blur._

_The sirens from the ambulance and the police filled the air, and my head started to pound from all the noise and commotion. I felt like I was being pulled this way and that, always moving against my will._

_I screamed Sakura's name like a madwoman, not knowing where she had been taken. _

* * *

"Ino?" A soft, masculine voice brought me out of the horrible memories. I turn and see Itachi standing at the entrance of the kitchen, his eyes reflected fatigue and for once, weren't so cold, "Were you looking for something?"

"I was just thinking." My attention was now focused on the tile floor.

He sighed and took a seat on a stool at the end of the counter, "If it's about last night then stop."

"Oh, sure no problem." I replied in a cold tone, "my best friend almost getting raped by a bunch of psychos is totally something I can just forget."

"I didn't mean it like that." His irises bore through me and I sealed my lips together, "It's over now."

Just as he finished his sentence, Sakura's groaning penetrated through thick walls.

"Right." I sighed and made my way back to her, "I should go check up on Sakura."

"I can do it." He motioned for me to stop walking_—_and naturally I did.

"Um, there's something I should tell you, Itachi." I called softly_—_not wanting my voice to reach Sakura's hearing.

He turned smoothly and gave me a look, encouraging me to continue.

"Sakura..." I started and stared past my brother, "...she doesn't know...she doesn't remember anything."

There was a short pause before Itachi let out a quick breath, "Good."

My eyes snapped up at him, "Oh. I thought you would..."

"No," He shook his head_—_eyes closed in thought, "It's for the best."

"Good." I strode past him into Sakura's room.

I knew though, in the back of my mind, Sakura would somehow find out. She always does_—_and when she figures out the events of last night...she'll _kill_ me for keeping it from her. If there was one thing my best friend hated, it was being kept in the dark. _  
_

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

"No! You can't _leave_ me here!" I wailed, reaching out my arms.

My supposed-best-friend smirked, as she swiftly pulled on a blazer.

"I have to get to work, Sak." She apologized, but there was a glint of amusement in her eye.

I frowned, desperation creeping up my spine.

"You can't just leave me here in this place!" I shifted in the bed but was pinned by a serious stare.

"Stay in bed! You're going to hurt yourself." The terrifying blond hissed, stomping towards me. I sat back down quickly.

"I'm in the Akatsuki's dorm! I don't want to be here! They'll eat me alive!" I shouted, pictures of vicious Konan and smug Sasori flooded my mind and I suppressed a shudder.

"Hate to tell you this Sak, but you're safer here than back at home where Sasuke is waiting to eat you alive and Naruto will guilt-trip you forever."

I paused at this comment, feeling myself sink back into the bed, heavier.

A flash of guilt passed Ino's features and I knew right then and there that she was also afraid of Sasuke's reaction.

"Do they know we're…here?" I asked quietly, rubbing my hands together.

"No…and we're going to try and keep it that way. Which means I really don't trust you going back alone without spilling the beans."

I pouted.

"You know that Sasuke will be able to rip the truth out of you. Just let me handle this for now." She sighed, "Okay so I'm heading out. Please for the love of God stay in the fucking house. _Please_."

"Fine." I mumbled.

"Sakura, _promise _me." Ino pleaded, her teeth clamped in tension.

"I promise." I repeated miserably, "But…what am I supposed to do about…"

Ino pressed a hand to her forehead, "About what?"

I blushed, "You _know." _

A bizarre expression crossed her face, "Oh…do you mean Sasori?"

I nodded, my face warm.

"Do you…like him?" Ino inquired, her face coloring.

"Ino, _of course_ not," I snapped, "but what the hell am I supposed to do? I don't know if he remembers either. Or if…" I trailed off, my throat closing.

"Just…forget about it." Ino replied half-heartedly.

But I'm already consumed by another inquiry.

"And you!" I accused.

Ino jumped slightly, backing up for the door.

"Huh?"

"Do you like Deidara or something? That is just so _random_!"

"Sakura, shut up!" Ino hissed, making her way to cover my mouth with her hand.

I swerved and rolled to the other side of the bed.

"I mean…I guess he is really good-looking and everything but—"

"Sakura! SH!"

"—are you guys like, a thing now? I don't und—mmffph!"

Ino's voice filled my ears, one hand clamped firmly on my mouth.

"Sakura. I love you. But you need to learn to Shut. The. Fuck. _Up_."

I nodded, and she tentatively released me.

"I'm leaving now."

"Have a nice day."

She grumbled incoherently while shutting the door behind her, probably irritated now.

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

It took me a while to find the studio I was assigned. All my years of admiring fashion and beauty finally landed me an assistant job in the industry. The sound of my nude heels clicking and clacking echoed throughout the lobby. I made my way up to the tenth floor of the building and pushed through glassy double doors.

My grin widened when I was greeted with bright lighting, fabulous clothes, and the scent of hairspray. This was exactly how I'd pictured my future, fancy photo shoots and models.

I set my purse on a table and took a moment to enjoy—

—"Are you the new girl?" A large woman barked viciously at me.

I bit my lip and pushed my bangs away, "Um, yeah, I'm Ino."

"You're _late_." She glared at me, then moved to drag my persona towards a small room, "I need you to start organizing the racks, the models think they can just throw the clothes anywhere they want!"

Last time I checked I was ten minutes early...

She pointed at a silver rack draped with men's and women's clothing, "Hurry up."

I grumbled unhappily, this is not what I signed up for.

Just as I picked up a (really adorable) knit sweater off the ground, a small girl bounced towards me with a wad of cash in her hands.

"Naomi wants you to go for a coffee run." A list of orders was shoved my way along with the money.

Another sigh escaped my glossed lips. Great. I discarded the sweater onto a random table and picked up my bag, at least I can catch my breath while I'm on my coffee run. As I walked past a few studios, something caught my eye.

Through the large crack of a studio door, I noticed two red heads.

_Is that...?_

Then, sharp green eyes looked my way.

_Gaara._

The other must be Sasori then. (Thank _God_ he didn't see me.)

Embarrassed, I rushed out of the building and to Starbucks. Would they have discussed the events of last night? No, they can't be super close since they're in rival bands...but what if Sasori said something just to spite me?

_Sasori..._

I shook my head. No! What kind of jerk kisses a girl out of no where?

_A really hot one..._

Frustrated, I grabbed the orders and rushed back up to my floor - trying not to spill anything. I made it back to my station without any awkward encounters and placed the coffee on the receptionist's desk.

Inhaling deeply, I turned and came face to face with Sasori.

An involuntary squeak escaped me.

"Did I scare you?" His eyes looked down at me with fake guilt.

I straightened up to seem taller, even in heels I was at least two inches shorter than him, "No. I'm just busy."

"Coffee runs are quite complicated." He looked past me and chuckled.

"What do you want, Sasori?" I sighed and looked up at him through mascara coated lashes.

"Why are you avoiding me?" He accused.

_Wow. Someone has a huge ego._

"I'm not avoiding you." I retorted lamely, "I'm just...occupied."

"Right." He nodded and stepped closer to me, enough to push his dark aura my way, "With your little _assistant _job."

"Why are you being such an asshole?" I fumed, "_You're_ the one who kissed me last night!"

I clenched my fists, immediately regretting the words that flew out of my mouth so suddenly.

_Oh God, words please come back. Comebackcomebackcomeback._

"Seems like I wasn't the only one you kissed." He stated darkly, now avoiding my eyes.

"...What?"

He snapped his head back up, now drilling a glare through me, "You and Deidara. Don't deny it."

_Deidara...? Oh...shit. _

"Wait? Who did you hear this from?" Now this was a _hilarious_ misunderstanding.

Sasori growled, "There was a _post-it_ on my door that read: _Keep your blonde away from my blonde_. Now, who do you think wrote that?"

I laughed. _Hard._

His expression turned to one of frustration, "I don't find this very amusing."

"Oh, God. Sasori!" I continued to giggle, "I told Sakura that so she wouldn't find out about what _really_ happened last night."

He stared at me.

_..._

_..._

"She doesn't remember anything had happened, does she?"

"Nope. And we're going to keep it that way."

...

...

"Oh and I told her you guys made out."

His pale cheeks reddened slightly, something I found to be quite adorable.

"You didn't think to tell me all this first?" He mumbled uncomfortably and turned, shifting under my gaze. For once I felt dominant over the drummer of Akatsuki—this was just too much fun.

"Sorry, Sas." I brought a hand to my mouth, stifling another giggle fit, "Next time check with me before being a total dick, alright?"

He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his dark jeans.

**_Sasori No Akasuna to hair and makeup please._**

A female voice boomed from overhead speakers.

Wordlessly, he sauntered back to his photo shoot.

* * *

The rest of my day at work was quite hectic—my maniac boss screaming at me every five minutes. Did people seriously just chug coffee like water? To be honest, I wasn't sure what I should do. I'd obviously have to return to the Akatsuki's dorm to get my stuff (and my confused best friend), but I hadn't had any contact with Sasuke or Naruto since that night.

Hopefully they wouldn't be too worried...

I had texted Naruto (the one most likely not to mutilate my body) and told him we were okay the night before.

I heaved my purse onto my shoulder and exited the building, irritated by my heels.

My head turned to the side of the road as an obnoxious honk erupted from a red Ferrari.

The passenger window rolled down and I noticed Sasori in the driver's seat, "Need a ride?"

I smiled at the offer, "Why not?"

His car smelled of leather and cologne, mostly cologne. His scent was addictive and musky, sitting right next to him wasn't taming the blush crawling up my neck.

"How was work?" He seemed genuinely interested—there was no smugness detected in his tone as if he had completely forgotten what had happened a few hours ago.

It took me a while to come up with an answer, "Oh, work was fine. People here sure love their caffeine..."

"Yeah," He chuckled and scratched his head, "I heard some of the girls talking in the halls, you seem to be doing a good job."

"Cool." I stared straight ahead, reading the license plate of the car in front of us over and over again. Anything to distract me from the fact that I was in Sasori No Akasuna's Ferrari, being smothered by the urge to jump him right here, right now.

We drove the rest of the way in silence, music blasting through the radio. Once we returned to the Akatsuki dorm, he turned and looked at me, a devilish grin on his face. "Let's have some fun."

I blinked confusedly. "Huh?"

_What is he doing...?_

He smirked and flung open the car door, I did so automatically as well (not wanting to look like an idiot of course). His pace quickened, he seemed excited to go back upstairs. Once he entered a code into the pin pad outside, we entered the living room and saw Sakura sitting on the couch alone. Her pink hair was up in a pony tail and she was wearing an over sized shirt (probably belonging to one of the boy's), she seemed to be deep in thought.

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

I looked up when I heard someone enter the flat and my heart almost jumped out of my chest when I saw that it was Sasori. I froze as he entered the room, his eyes rabidly searching for something. They stopped when they saw me on the couch.

_Oh shitshitshit. Okay just act like…nothing happen—_

"Sakura…" Sasori said huskily, making his way over to the couch. I flinched back, my heart hammering maddeningly against my chest.

"H-Hey." I stammered, trying to put on a smile, "B-Back so soon?" As he sat down next to me, I jumped up and made my way over to the kitchen counter, "So thirsty…" I muttered, opening the fridge.

I panicked when he followed suit, sitting at the counter, watching me. I could feel his gaze boring into my back, my temperature rising quickly.

_Shit, so obviously he remembers…_

"So…uhm, how was the photo shoot…?" I began, trying to make simple, nonthreatening conversation.

I turned around, and barely contained a yelp as his expression darkened.

"Sakura…I think we need to talk about last night."

I backed away as he stood up taking a few steps towards me. His expression was serious, but there was something in the corners of his eyes…something unreadable.

"L-Look Sasori…I…" I spluttered, bringing my arms up in pathetic defense, "You seem like an…interesting guy." I managed to croak, "And I'm sure that you could make a girl really happy…if you tried. I just think that we should, I mean we were both highly intoxicated..."

He was inches away from me now, his piercing green eyes narrowing slightly.

"What are you saying?"

Fear gripped me as my back hit a hard surface. I winced when I realized it was the fridge. He had backed me up into the fridge. I was trapped.

_Oh God._

"I'm just saying that…I don't think we both were thinking straight. I'm sure that you regret it just as much as I do—let's just forget about it. Deal?"

"What if I don't want to forget about it?" Sasori breathed, closing the distance. I bit back a surprised cry when he brushed a thumb across my jaw.

"But…it didn't mean anything…" I whispered, and squeezed my eyes shut.

_SOMEONE FUCKING SAVE ME!_

"It meant something to me." He replied leaning in towards me.

Before I knew what was happening, my right hand was flying…towards his cheek.

Obviously not expecting the blow, he staggered backwards, his eyes opened in shock.

I froze, my hands over my mouth, equally in shock.

"I…" I began.

"Did you just slap me?" Sasori asked, dazedly.

"It was a reflex! My hand just moved on its own!" I cried.

"You slapped me." He stated once more.

I decided to take the defensive approach, "Oh c'mon. I bet you've been slapped many times before."

_Did I really just say that?_

"I-I mean..." I trailed off, unsure how to fix the damage.

"I've never been slapped before." Sasori suddenly chuckled, brushing his cheek.

At this I cocked my head, "Really?"

Sasori burst out laughing.

"What kind of guy do you take me for?"

_A player for sure._ "Uhm...not the kind I would exactly_—_"

"Give me a chance, to prove what kind of guy I am." Sasori smirked, unfazed as he encased me with his arms on each side of my head.

_This...this is NOT happening to me right now._

Desperately, I gripped the fridge behind me, as if somehow I'd be able to pick it up and throw it on his head.

He was going to kiss me.

I felt like I was floating...but not in the good way.

I could just barely feel the graze of his lips when I heard a squeak behind him. Instantly I jerked upwards, slamming my whole body against the fridge, bouncing off and hitting Sasori in the chest, and landing on the fridge once more.

"Sasori...what the hell...!" Ino hollered, frozen at the entrance.

_SHIT. SHIT. SHIT. SHIT. SHIT._

"I-Ino! Oh my god. I swear this isn't_—"_

"_—_Do you mind giving us some privacy?" Sasori interrupted, not moving from his position. His hands were still on either side of my head and I felt my knees go weak.

"No!" I yelled, incredibly frustrated.

I glanced at my best friend, trying to register her expression of horror...

...Except her "expression of horror" wasn't exactly what I was expected.

Her jaw was dropped, and her face completely red...

...But her nostrils were slightly flared as if she were trying to hold back a...

_No, Sakura you're completely delusional if you're thinking she's about to laugh. Look at her! She's furious!_

"You told me you didn't like him." Ino finally said, bringing a hand over her mouth.

"That's...what you said?" Sasori interjected, turned his attention to me. I saw them crumple, as if I had hurt him.

As if _I _had hurt _him._

Dread and terror instantly flooded my insides. I would never be able to explain this. Ever.

And it was all STUPID SASORI'S FAULT!

"Ino please!" But before I could even finish my sentence Ino bolted to our room and slammed the door. I winced, slapping a hand over my eyes.

_This is SO unfair._

"You shouldn't hide your feelings from your best friend." Sasori said, finally breaking the silence.

I glared at him, "I _hate _you."

He leaned in then, and I could feel his cool breath on my cheek.

"Is that how you really feel?"

"At this moment in time? Pretty much." I growled, turning away from him.

"Then kiss me."

I eyes flew open, "Huh? Are you crazy?"

"If you don't have feelings for me, then it doesn't matter right?" Sasori chuckled, letting his fingers trail through my hair.

I was desperately fighting the urge to slap him again. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my annoyance.

"Fine."

It was his turn to be surprised, "Fine?"

"I'll kiss you, 'cuz that's the only way you'll realize I don't have any feelings what-so-ever for you." I huffed.

I watched him hesitate, which only confused me further.

"Just kiss me, so we can get on with it!" I snapped.

There was an awkward silence.

Then...

_"What the fuck...is going on?" _

I froze.

Panic on a whole other level exploded in my stomach.

"For fuck's sake!" I screeched as I turned to see Itachi standing dangerously calm in the center of the living room.

* * *

**Winter Psyche: **Hey everyone :) Sorry for the long wait! Things have been tying _**tornupleather**_ and I up for a while. (Mainly school, and the remnants of the socials lives we own) Thanks for all your lovely reviews and support—it's always so nice to hear your thoughts. Brightens up our days for sure ^.^ Many things to come for our girls, so brace yourselves ;)

**tornupleather:** So like my co-author said earlier, we have so much planned for these two! Apologies for the random...breaks in between chapters, school is messing us up for sure. We have a long weekend up ahead though, so lots will be accomplished! Keep the feedback coming, we love reading your comments.


	8. Confrontations

**Disclaimer: **We do not own Naruto

**Title:** Landing Amongst the Stars

**Genre:** Romance/Drama/Angst

* * *

**LANDING AMONGST THE STARS**

Chapter Eight: _Confrontations_

A collaboration by _**Winter Psyche**_ and _**tornupleather**_

* * *

**~Sakura~**

_"What the fuck is going on here?" Itachi hissed again, folding his arms over his chest. It was hard to ignore prominent bulge of muscle beneath his sleeves._

_"Fuckmefuckmefuckme…" I chanted softly._

_"Geez, a guy just can't get a break," Sasori smirked, slowly lifting himself off the fridge to face him._

_I used the opening to my advantage as I bolted for our room._

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

I was still listening through the door, amused at what Sasori and my little prank had turned into. Lucky for us, Sakura had always been exceptionally gullible, but having Itachi involved was not part of the plan. A part of me was strangely relieved though that he interjected. Otherwise Sakura and Sasori may have actually...

_**"INO!"**_

A frantic looking rosette burst through the door_._

"Oh, hey. Where's Sasori?" I said innocently.

She shut the door and grabbed me by the arm, "I could care less! Ino, I don't even know what that _was_! Maybe we did hook up last night, but I don't even remember it! It's like it didn't really happ_—_"

"_—_Sakura, it's not that big of a deal." My calm expression came easy. I knew she honestly didn't have feelings for Sasori, which for some reason made me want to smile.

"BUT I DON'T LIKE SASORI!" Her eyebrows bunched towards each other and her eyes were tense. I really just wanted to burst into a fit of giggles, but my focus shifted to the red head that walked through our door.

"Ouch." Sasori rested an arm on the door frame, while his free hand clutched his chest, "These rooms aren't sound proof, y'know."

A blush spread across my best friends face. Her mouth opened and closed in an attempt to spew out any form of an intelligent response.

I allowed myself to chuckle quietly.

"I need a shower..." Sakura mumbled and grabbed a towel off the dresser. She sauntered past me and sneaked past Sasori, trying to not make any physical contact. Once she shut the door, Sasori's taunting smirk faded away and he turned to me.

"Any plans for tonight?"

I looked past him thoughtfully, "Probably just going to hang around here I guess. I mean...going back doesn't sound too great."

"Right." His expression softened and he stepped closer, "We could go grab dinner if you want."

My lips threatened to curve into an unnecessarily wide grin, but instead I forced away the idiocy and nodded. He checked his watch, "You might wanna put on something fancy."

And without another word, he was out of the room.

My chest held a familiar feeling, I couldn't quite point out what it was though. Or maybe I didn't want to. There's no possible way I'd fall for a guy like Sasori, who was only interested in playing games. It was something I absolutely hated in guys, mainly because I wasn't good at it. I couldn't afford to get too involved with Akatsuki anyways, Sasuke and Naruto would kill me for sure.

I sifted through a couple of the dresses Konan had offered us after the incident. She apparently had a moment of sympathy and filled the drawers in our room with female necessities as well.

The corners of my mouth lifted when I laid eyes on an all white crochet dress. The straps were thick and scooped forward to form a round neck-line. After zipping it up the side, I slipped on my jacket and stepped into a pair of crimson red pumps. I pulled my hair back into a sleek ponytail and silently thanked God that Konan had such good taste in clothes.

There was a soft knock at the door, "Ready?"

"Yup," I called out and grabbed the soft leather strap of my clutch.

The door opened to reveal Sasori No Akasuna in a black suit and tie. His image was flawless: hair tousled to look effortlessly perfect, complexion pale and smooth_—_not a blemish to be found, and his lips just a natural shade of pink.

I realized his lips had now curved into a smirk. He knew what I was thinking_—_my eyes had been wandering three seconds too long.

Finally, I cleared my throat, "You look fancy."

He moved his hands into his pockets, "Nice dress."

Feeling ridiculously awkward, I closed the door to our room and paused, "I should probably make sure Sak knows where I am..."

"Itachi will let her know." Sasori took me by the waist and guided me to the front door. I immediately relaxed into his touch. Sighing quietly, I scolded myself for thinking like a starstruck fan girl.

I quickened my pace to escape his soft grip, leading myself to where he had parked earlier today. He opened the door for me and I slipped inside, inhaling the scent of his cologne for the first time this evening. The smell was intoxicating instantaneously recalling memories of the other night...

**-Flashback-**

_"She's going to be okay, right?" I watched Itachi gently place Sakura on the bed. He tucked the sheets over her bruised collarbone, his eyes softening at the sight. This side of my step-brother was rarely revealed, the last time I saw him like this was before he left. Whenever Sakura and I were in trouble, he was always there. I guess that was something that hadn't changed._

_"Yeah," Itachi's voice expressed fatigue and distress. We had all been on the verge of death, and even he couldn't hide his discomfort._

_I looked up at him, "Itachi..."_

_"Goodnight, Ino," he swept a hand through his bangs and disappeared up the stairs._

_Passing another look at my sleeping best friend, I closed the door softly__—_making my way to the kitchen.

_Sasori was already in the room, and he handed me a glass of water as I entered. I nodded in thanks and chugged it in an unladylike manner____—_I hadn't realized how dehydrated I was. 

_"How are you feeling?" His voice was cautious, as if he were trying not to scare me. _

_I sighed, "I've been better...but I'm fine." _

_He continued to scan me up and down, looking for any form of injury, I assumed. His head rested in his hands now, he looked defeated. _

_"Are _you_ okay?" I moved closer to him, wanting to brush his hair away from his face. _

_"I'm alright," he lifted his head and focused on the fruit basket on the counter, "I haven't seen Itachi like that in a long time." _

_"Me neither..." I hoisted myself up onto the counter, making me an inch or two taller than Sasori, "...he used to be more open."_

_He looked up at me, "Why have you never visited before?"_

_My chest tightened, I hated this subject. Even thought I knew he was genuinely curious, I couldn't help but feel accused. Every day I thought about Itachi, where he was, what he was doing, and why he never bothered to come home. If I had any clue as to where he was I would have booked a ticket in a second.  
_

_"I never knew where he went." _

_I thought about Sakura. About how angry she was when Itachi left. She was obviously upset, but her stupid pride masked all of that.  
_

_"Y'know a phone call goes both ways." _

_I didn't like his tone this time. It wasn't curiosity anymore, he was actually defending my asshole of a brother._

_"You don't think I've tried?" I didn't want to raise my voice any louder, waking Sakura was the last thing I wanted, "Sasori...he left without a trace."_

_"I'm just saying you shouldn't be so hard on him. He's actually not that bad of a guy." _

_"Look. You don't know anything, so please just stop." I felt like a bitch, but at the same time__ I had the right to be. Who did this guy think he is? _

_A harsh silence followed. Suddenly I felt guilty for snapping at someone who came to our rescue._

_"So you're staying with the other Uchiha?" His voice gentle and soothing again. I guess we both felt bad._

_"Yeah," I said quietly, still unfamiliar with Itachi's new last name. Suddenly a thought popped in my mind, "Are you and Gaara really cousins?"_

_His eyebrows lifted curiously, "So I'm guessing you guys have met?" _

_I wasn't sure if I was touching a sensitive topic, but I continued, "Yeah. He seems a little...distant..." I trailed off, thinking back to our conversation and the way he made my heartbeat accelerate._

_"Interested?" Sasori's orbs were taunting, as if he dared me to admit that I had feelings for his cousin._

_"Maybe..." I mimicked his playful expression and moved to put away my glass, "...why do you care?" _

_I turned around to see his figure an inch from mine. His eyes darkened, something I hadn't expected. He placed both hands on the counter behind me, so I had no where to escape to. _

_"Careful, Ino," his voice sent shivers down my spine. Something in me didn't want to break eye contact with him. He leaned closer to me, his lips right beside my ear, "Gaara's the nice one."_

_He moved again and pressed his lips onto mine. _

_I had no idea how to react____—_part of me wanted to melt into his arms, but I knew that was exactly what he expected. I didn't move, not even a breath. Slowly, he backed away and inspected my confused expression. 

_We stared at each other for a moment in an attempt to read each other.  
_

_ Then something in me snapped____: _I wanted him. Now_. _

_I pulled him in, moving my lips against his aggressively this time. He hoisted me up against the fridge in one swift motion, while my legs wrapped themselves around his waist. My hands ran through his crimson locks, one of his found their way up my shirt. He began trailing wet kisses along my neck and down to my chest. I moved a hand to the base of his neck, he looked up at me and I took the chance to crash my lips onto his again. _

_ Slowly, I was aware of my satisfied moans and his quickened breaths. _

_Then I realized what I was doing._

_I shoved him hard and landed on my feet roughly. He looked shocked and his hair was now a mess, but it still looked presentable on him. _

_"This..." My lips pressed together and I looked at him completely serious,_ "...didn't_ happen."_

_Whatever I just did...I didn't want Sakura or anyone to find out. The guest room was dark and it took me a few minutes to settle next to the still passed out rosette. My mind continued to play back the feeling of his mouth on my neck...drawing down against my skin._

_I shut my eyes tight, hoping to erase the thoughts from my head..._

"You alright there, Ino?" Sasori had a loose grip on the wheel, he looked at me for a second before averting his attention to the road again.

"Oh," I snapped my head up and focused on the car in front of us, "I'm fine."

"What were you thinking so hard about?" He leaned back casually in his seat.

I bit my lip, trying to come up with something believable, "Just wondering where you're taking me."

"Almost there," he smirked and pulled into a parking lot. I stepped out of the vehicle, still in awe at how beautiful his car was.

He took my hand casually and began walking me towards a crowded building. As we got closer, I noticed paparazzi and celebrities overflowing the area. There was a red carpet that led to the inside of the humungous property.

"Sasori..." I stopped in my tracks and retracted my hand, "...where are we?"

He only smirked and held out his hand again. Although I wasn't satisfied with his non-answer, my hand lifted to meet his anyways.

I heard a jumbled mix of words, the voices of the reporters meshed in a barely comprehensible mess.

**_"Sasori No Akasuna arriving—"_**

**_"__—_fashion show of the year!"  
**

**_"—on the red carpet with his date—"_**

**_"—who is it this time?"_**

Nobody knew who I was and I felt completely out of place. All the girls were dripping in gold and luxurious fabrics, their hair pinned perfectly or straightened exquisitely. Their dates held them by their unhealthily slim waists, while they smiled to show off their chemically whitened teeth.

I suddenly felt a tender squeeze in my hand.

"C'mon," he tugged me in front of the photographers gently.

I lifted the corners of my mouth convincingly as Sasori placed a hand around my waist. The lights blinded my vision and I fought to keep my eyes open. Before I knew it, I was being pulled into the building.

"Jeez," I blinked my eyes several times, "how do you deal with all the lights..."

Sasori chuckled and took two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter, "You get used to it."

_Don't think I will..._

"Sasori, my man!" Deidara appeared out of no where as a blond blur, reminding me of Naruto. The two dived into a conversation I had no interest in listening to.

I tried not to gawk too obviously at the sight before me. There was a white runway shooting from one end of the room to the center. Glass chandeliers hung from the ceilings, making the room as bright as the paparazzi lights. The walls were paneled gold with ornate details carved all around the room. All the people around me were so glamorous, I couldn't get over it.

I noticed the receptionist from Akatsuki's studio pass me to greet a familiar looking man, her hair still in two buns. From afar, I could see Konan and Pein socializing with a few other people.

"Ino?" Deidara threw an arm around my shoulders, "Lookin' good!"

I laughed and looked up at him, "Thanks, you don't look too bad either."

"Hey, why am I supposed to stay away from you?" He stood to face me now; confused.

"Sakura doesn't remember." Sasori spoke for me with closed eyes, an amused smirk in place. But there was a stiffness in his neck from the memory Sakura didn't have.

Deidara formed an 'o' with his mouth, "So she thinks we...?"

I nodded, "Pretty much."

There was a short silence and looks were exchanged.

"This should be fun then," Deidara crossed his arms and emitted a throaty chuckle, eyes full of mischief.

I wasn't sure why Shinobi hated these guys so much. Itachi I understood, but these guys were just...guys. Hanging out with them wasn't too different from being with Sasuke and Naruto.

Konan and Pein approached us all of a sudden, "Ugh, some of these people don't _ever_ stop talking."

The two really did look like a couple. Pein was dressed in a sharp looking suit, an arm resting casually on Konan's lower back. Konan was another thing entirely. It was hard not to feel slight pangs of jealousy as people passed, unable to tear their gazes away from her. She wore an intricate violent gown, with a dip at the back, exposing skin down to her lower back.

"Sasori," Konan started coolly, unlike the first time we met, "you can imagine Kakashi's not too happy that Itachi isn't here. This event is a huge deal for him."

"He wanted to stay home," Sasori smiled down at me.

I blushed as Konan's gaze landed on me, there was clear animosity in her expression.

"How is your friend?" Pein asked.

"Sakura doesn't remember anything that happened last night," I replied quickly.

"And we're going to keep it that way," Sasori continued, glaring at the couple.

"Boss isn't happy either, he wants to see Itachi," Konan's voice dropped so low I had to strain to listen.

Suddenly the air changed, a heavy atmosphere lingered and everyone seemed to tense. Sasori's expression darkened as he faced Konan, "Then tell him he'll have the chance to see Itachi later."

Confused and slightly frightened, I took the chance to excuse myself and searched for the bathroom. I refused Sasori's offer to escort me there, wanting some privacy. And being on Sasori's arm did not provide that. Walking away as quickly as possible in heels, I wandered outside the large room and followed the bathroom arrow, which led me down a alley of twists and turns.

_You wouldn't think it would so complicated trying find a bathroom..._

I sighed when a familiar women's symbol hung in front of a large door. Finally.

Just as I was about push my way through I heard a low grumble of voices and I paused, perplexed. A loud bang reached my ears, and I backed away from the door in surprise. What the hell was going on in there?

_"...will catch us...fuck!"_

_"...isn't this what you wanted?" _A husky male voice growled.

Heavy breathing. Moaning. Thumping.

_"...Fuck yes..."_

There was distinct male voice...but what was it doing in the girl's washroom?

_"Tell me..."_

_"Bastard, I fucking...Ah...Fuck!...Fucking hate you..."_

There was a deep chuckle, _"Your body contradicts that statement."_

I held in a surprised squeal once I realized what was happening

_The fuck? They're having sex in the girl's bathroom! TWISTED PEOPLE. _

Before I knew it, I was running in the opposite direction.

Then I collided with someone.

"OW, sorry!" I apologized, flustered.

"Please...please help me!" The girl cried, grabbing my arm roughly.

"What's wrong?" I sobered, when I realized she was crying. She was a skinny little thing, her dark hair was up in an extravagant hairdo. The rims of her eyes were reddened and puffy from all the crying.

"_Please_, help me!"

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

After showering, I put on an old peach-colored shirt that I found on top of the bedside table where I had slept the night before, and a pair of grey sweatpants that displayed the words 'diva' right on the butt. I suspected these clothes were Konan's, though I doubted she had been happy about letting us borrow her clothes. Not thinking too much about it I absentmindedly slipped my blackberry into the pocket, carefully avoiding checking it. I guessed there were probably a thousand missed calls…mostly from Sasuke or Naruto. I winced, not wanting to think about them and what we would do once we were forced to confront them.

When I emerged from my room I was unpleasantly surprised to see Itachi in the living room.

_ Okay, maybe unpleasantly surprised is a bit of an understatement. _

Freezing in the hallway, I began to back up slowly but paused when he sighed and brought a glass of wine to his lips. He seemed troubled by the huge stacked of paper set in front of him as he flipped through it carelessly. From time to time he would lean back and look up to the ceiling for what seemed like inspiration. My mind automatically placed a 13-year-old Itachi in the exact same position.

_Whoa…déjà vu. Is he writing a song?_

I nagged myself for being curious.

_It's not like I care what he does._

But I was still unable to draw myself back to the guest room. Instead I found myself reluctantly observing the Uchiha as I always did when he worked even as a child.

_He always wanted to be a musician…ever since the beginning._

He had his eyes closed now, with his thumb and forefinger clamping the bridge of his nose. When I watched him work like this, it was hard to believe he had changed at all…but of course I knew better. He was a selfish prick now. An asshole. Somebody who didn't care about anything or anyone. He had told me directly himself.

All of a sudden, there was a buzzing in my pocket and I yelped in surprise. Itachi's head snapped to where I stood and I waved sheepishly, "H-Hello."

He narrowed his eyes, "What are you doing?"

"Well," I began, glancing at the phone. I sucked in a breath when the caller ID read: _Sasuke_. Quickly pressing ignore, I made my way to the opposite armchair and sat down.

"I was wondering if you knew where Ino went…"

"She's out with Sasori and the rest of the band," he said curtly, turning his attention back to whatever he was doing before.

I sat up straight, "What?"

He looked up with a deadpan expression, "Problem?"

I scrunched my face, as I retorted a sassy 'no'.

We stare at each other for an awkward moment until he broke the stare and scribbled something down on the piece of paper.

"Never pegged you as _the_ song writer," I mumbled a couple minutes later without thinking.

I immediately regretted my words as I watched Itachi's hand freeze across the page for a moment before setting his pen down to take another sip of wine.

"And what have you pegged me for, exactly?" he inquired, expressionless.

I tried to mirror his careless expression but the bitterness in my voice gave way, "I don't think you want to know, _Uchiha_."

At this, the corner of his mouth lifted, "Fair enough."

I could feel myself get angrier as the conversation went on. He was just so…_cold_.

_Does he really not care about anything?_

"Well, this has been sufficiently awkward," I announced, rising to my feet.

"How are you feeling?" Itachi asked, ignoring me.

I paused at this. How was I feeling? Did Itachi know about Sasori and Deidara too? How much did he know?

"Look, I don't even remember what happened last night. I am bruised and sore all over and I have a killer headache. Believe me, if I had been sober yesterday this would have I _never _have happened. I am not interested in Sasori in the least, he is so not my type and Ino has no feelings for Deidara what-so-ever…" I faltered, "Or so she tells me but she's been acting really weird lately."

He frowned slightly, "How sore?"

I blinked, "What?"

"You said you were bruised and sore. How sore?"

"I must have done something insanely crazy because my arms feel like they're about to fall off. Every time I bend my legs I get shooting pains," I confessed, slightly confused and suspicious now, "…anyways_—_"

"What about your neck?" Itachi interrupted, his eyes falling on the strange purpling bruise just above my collarbone.

Suddenly I felt self-conscious and I covered my neck with annoyance, "I fell."

He replied with one perfectly arched eyebrow. _Ugh._

"I don't need your pity," I sniffed.

Just as I was prepared to stalk back to the room, my phone began to buzz.

"Oh _shit shit shit shit,_" I cursed, clamoring for my phone.

"You'd better pick up," Itachi said, rising to his feet.

"I can't! He doesn't even know where I am right now! How am I supposed to explain _this_?" I gestured to my surroundings frantically.

"He knows where you are," Itachi assured, his face darkening.

My stomach leapt into my mouth.

"_WHAT?_"

"I had the pleasure of explaining your little situation to him last night," Itachi continued sourly.

My hand flew to my mouth in pure horror. It wasn't hard to guess where that conversation had led to…

"Do you realize what you've done? I'm dead. Itachi, I'm _dead!_" I yelled, closing the distance with three strained steps.

"My younger brother seems to be quite adamant that I take you home once you're feeling better."

Without thinking I pushed him backwards. Startled, he took a few steps backwards but was prepared for my next assault. He didn't budge, and a hard expression fell across his face, "Would you kindly explain to me how this is my fault?"

"I know it's hard to believe, but Sasuke dislikes you even more than I do," I hissed, glaring into his eyes.

"I'm astonished," Itachi replied, amused.

I bristled at his tone, "You're such a jerk. You knew he'd get mad."

"We're not children Sakura—"

I pushed him again. Harder.

"Shut up," I growled, annoyed at his unfazed expression, "At least I don't run away from things I can't handle."

There was a tense silence. Despite what I said, I had the frantic urge to do exactly that. I forced myself to stay put, and I didn't dare look away. Again the familiar lull of his eyes was blinding.

I was caught off hard when he pushed past me…towards the door.

I watched with uncertainty as he grabbed a leather jacket off the hat hanger, fishing for something in the pockets.

"Where are you _going_?" I demanded when I realized they were his car keys.

He didn't even look at me, "I'm driving you back home," and with that he walked through the door.

* * *

_Oh fuck. I've never been so scared in my life._

The car ride hadn't been too awkward. Itachi had made sure to turn on the radio the second we got in so there was no need to continue our previous conversation.

Too nervous to breathe, I close my eyes and let the music take me somewhere else. When a familiar tune filled the car I opened my eyes. I rolled my eyes when I realized it was an Akatsuki song. I was hearing Akatsuki music everywhere these days.

When Itachi pulled into a driveway, I felt my pulse jump as my gaze landed on a figure pacing back and forth in an erratic manner.

_Sasuke. _

"Oh God," I breathed, bringing a hand to my mouth. The fear was overwhelming. Sasuke was the _last_ person I wanted to confront.

I could feel Itachi's stare on me, but I was too busy trying to hide myself away in his car.

"Does he scare you that much?" Itachi chuckled, turning off the ignition.

I was just about to reply when I heard a loud '_THUMP' _against my window.

"Sakura, get out of the _fucking_ car," Sasuke growled with such ferociousness, I jumped in my seat and automatically stepped out of the car.

"Sasuke...I..."

"_What the fuck are you doing with him?_" Sasuke roared, grabbing my arm, _"Do you know how fucking worried we all were? What the fuck were you thinking?"_

Any speech I had died in my throat. Then Sasuke whirled on Itachi, who stepped calmly out of the car.

"Little brother," Itachi acknowledged, bringing both hands in his pockets.

"Itachi, fuck with me. I dare you," Sasuke challenged, squaring his shoulders.

Itachi snorted, "I'm beginning to see what Sakura meant. You are quite scary, Sasuke."

"Stay away, Itachi."

"How is your little band going these days? Sasori tells me you have yet to debut."

"Fuck off!" Sasuke snarled, dragging me up the stairs to his flat.

"Just keep one thing in mind, little brother. Sakura came to me." Itachi called from behind.

I felt my whole body freeze at the cruelness in his voice. Before I could turn around I face him, Sasuke pushed me through the door.

I was speaking before I knew it.

"Sasuke, I'm so sorry. I don't even remember what happened last night. I'm _so sorry_. I know I should've called you…I don't even know…I blacked out last night."

I couldn't look at him. I kept my gaze hovered on the wooden floor.

I flinched when Sasuke release a sound that half resembled a growl and a sigh.

I gazed up when Sasuke let of a half-hearted chuckle, but his face was twisted bitterly.

"Do I scare you?"

"Sasuke—"

"Just wait until Naruto gets his hands on you," Sasuke shook his head, raking a hand through his black hair, but there was a flash a pain in his eyes.

I placed a hand on his arm, "I'm sorry for everything. I never wanted to be a burden."

He was still under my touch, "Why were you with him, Sakura?"

He was quiet now, looking at the ground.

My heart clenched painfully. It wasn't fair what I had done to him. If anyone had suffered the most by Itachi's absence it was Sasuke. I felt tears threatening to flow, and I pushed them back furiously.

"We went to their concert…We weren't planning on meeting Itachi or anything…we just wanted to see him…I drank too much at a club afterwards and…I think I…with Sasori…God I'm so _stupid_, Sasuke. I don't know what's wrong with me." I was crying now, feeling like a complete idiot. What was wrong with me?

"Did Sasori force himself on you?" Sasuke snarled unexpectedly, ripping himself from beneath my hand.

"No! Sasuke, _no._" I blurted through my tears, grabbing his shoulder.

"I know what kind of guy Sasori is," Sasuke narrowed his eyes, looking directly at me, "He's…_persuasive_."

"No, Sasuke stop," I tensed, "He didn't do anything wrong."

He froze and zeroed in on my collarbone, "Did he do this to you?"

"You're not listening to me!" I returned fiercely.

"_Did he do that to you?_" Sasuke's voice rose.

I don't know what happened then. Something must have short-circuited in my brain because before I knew what I was doing, I pulled him close and crashed my mouth over his.

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**_  
_

"Please, I can't lose this job!" She begged, her hands still clamped on my arm, "If I screw this up I'll never work in this industry again!"

"Um…I…" I stammered, unsure of what the situation was, "Well…what can _I_ do?"

"So...you'll help me?" She suddenly looked very relieved, "Follow me."

She was dragging me now, even deeper back stage. I passed through hair and makeup, stealing a glance at all the fabulous models. The girl looked both ways before entering a room, "These are all the clothes we're supposed to be showing, but someone brought in the wrong pieces! And to make it worse, the stylists all went home!"

The girl fell on her knees and began sobbing again, "This is all my fault! I've been waiting to work at this event and I screw it up! Stupid, stupid, _stupid_!"

I took a long look at the garments before me and cringed, most of the colors did not compliment one another. Certain styles weren't even supposed to be in for the season. Then I had a delusional idea, "Send in the models."

She picked herself up and nodded vigorously, then disappeared in an instant.

I prayed to God this would work.

A model sauntered in and stood in front of the mirror. I picked up a sheer coral maxi skirt and paired it with a flowy brown top. The accessory table was a mess, but I managed to fish out some gold bangles and a pair of gold sandals, "Alright, you're done."

A few models and outfits later, a man burst through the door with the girl from before, "What the _hell_ is this?"

His silver hair caught my attention, and I immediately recognized him: Kakashi Hatake. A renowned designer, stylist, and photographer—whichever label you're wearing, he's probably been involved.

"M-M-Mr. Hatake!" I yelped and dropped a bracelet back onto the table.

He scrutinized me for a long, torturous minute.

"You're the one who's been messing with my pieces?"

I didn't know what to say without getting the girl in trouble. I bowed my head in shame, "Yeah…"

"Zaku brought in the wrong pieces…I asked her to help." The dark haired girl confessed tearfully.

"That idiot…" Kakashi mumbled and pinched the bridge of his nose, "…this is going to be a disaster. Where the fuck are my stylists?"

I stood silently, as did the girl.

"Okay, looks like I have no choice. Stick around. Keep doing what you're doing." Kakashi waved me off and exited the room.

The girl turned to me in shock, "I think…he likes you."

She giggled and bounced away.

_She's quite resilient..._

Approval from Kakashi Hatake was unheard of. I smiled to myself as another model was sent my way.

"Ten minutes 'till show time, folks!" Kakashi's voice bellowed through the speakers.

I took my time hemming the last outfit, not wanting to prick the model above me.

"Hey..." The model's voice was raspy and unsure, "you're the girl Sasori brought right?"

Anxiety rumbled in my stomach at the way she phrased her sentence.

I managed to croak out a, "Yeah."

"Keep your guard up," she spoke carefully, "I've been out with him before and he can make you feel really special, but really he's got a whole line of girls already."

My fingers continued to move the needle in and out of the fabric. This wasn't something I needed to hear, I already knew_—_I was not falling for him.

"I know," I smiled up at her after knotting the thread, "We aren't like that."

She gave me a pitiful stare and exited the room.

"Hey, Kakashi's asking for you," the girl breezed in and out of the room.

My eyes scanned backstage for his silver hair, then I found him at the mouth of the runway. He handed me a head set, "I need you in case something comes up again."

His gaze was on the first model that stepped out into the fluorescent light. Her hips swayed from side to side as she strut down the block, the chiffon skirt flowing behind her. Each girl that walked on the runway was even more flawless than the one before.

"This is going great guys," Kakashi smiled as he spoke into his mic.

I heard his enthused voice through my own head set as I dressed another model.

Once the show was over, I stayed back to help pack up the clothes. Now that I had a better look at them, they weren't all that outrageous.

"What was your name again?" I craned my head back to see Kakashi staring at me incredulously.

I laughed and zipped up a garment bag, "Ino Yamanaka, Sir."

He held out his hand, "Kakashi Hatake."

Mentally, I squealed like a love-struck pre-teen, but still composed a calm exterior and took his hand.

"Dammit Ino, there you are," Sasori appeared, sighing as he pushed back his hair with both hands, "You can't just disappear like that."

I bit my lip, "Sorry, I kinda got caught up."

"Thank God she did," Kakashi chuckled and dug through his jacket pocket. He handed me a small business card, "You really know what you're doing. Where do you work?"

"Just some magazine..." I murmured, reading the card diligently.

"Well," Kakashi picked up the trunk I packed the accessories in, "if you ever want to switch it up, give me a call."

My heart dropped.

_Did he just...? Holy fuck._

Part of me wanted to saunter after him like a lost puppy, but I knew Sasori was intent on taking me home. Realizing that I'd left him for basically the whole evening, I felt excruciatingly rude.

"At least you're safe," He ran a hand down the length of my bare arm, taking my hand, "Let's go."

When we got to his car I paused, "Sasori...I'm really sorry."

He shut his side of the door and turned in his seat to face me, "It's fine, I was just worried."

The model's voice echoed in the back of my mind, _'Keep your guard up. I've been out with him before and he can make you feel really special, but really he's got a whole line of girls already...'_

"Why?" I leaned back in my seat, unaware of the syllable that slipped out of my mouth.

"Why was I worried?" Sasori turned to look at me in disbelief, "Maybe because the other night you almost got date raped and shot!"

I didn't expect his voice to raise. He sped through a yellow light, and I suddenly regretted picking a fight with him while he was driving.

"Honestly Ino," he clenched the wheel and I noticed his jaw set, "why can't you just trust that I actually care about you?"

"Because I don't trust you!" I glared out the window.

He slowed in front of Shinobi's building and cast his eyes down. The lengthy silence was beginning to scare me, I didn't want to turn to face him. He switched off the ignition and got out of the car. I did the same.

Neither of us took another step.

"You met Yoko didn't you?"

I assumed he meant the model, "Yeah. She's...gorgeous."

"She told you to keep your guard up." He stated, then chuckled bitterly.

"Sasori..." I started with a shaky breath, "Why did you kiss me?"

He still had his back faced to me, I didn't know if he even intended on answering me. Memories of our heated moment flooded back, the feeling of his hair between my fingers. They way his hands roamed desperately under the fabric of my shirt.

"I don't trust you because_____—_" My eyes focused on the concrete as I sucked in a breath, "_____—_because I know how many girls are just _waiting_ for you to pick them. I'm not going to be another option, Sasori..."

He turned and set somber orbs on me. Then, slowly, he walked towards me and pulled me into his arms.

I wrapped my arms around his torso and sighed against his chest.

"I kissed you because...fuck, I don't know Ino. You were so scared, and you looked so lost..." he murmured into my hair.

My eyes widened slightly, "Sasori..."

"I'm...I'm not a hero. I'm not like Itachi," he broke off uncertainly.

"I'm glad you're not like him," I said.

"When we found you...that night..." he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, "...it changed me. I don't ever want another girl in that situation, and I've, all my life I've been the source of pain."

"You're not like Kabuto!" I said forcefully, looking him in the eye.

"I'm just as bad," Sasori continued, "Because that's who I am. I don't know anything else."

"Sasori...you're wrong," I managed, trying to get him to face me, but he avoided my eyes.

Finally he broke away, looking past me...through me.

"Forget about it, let's go."

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

Sasuke responded quicker that I expected. In a split-second, his hands were beneath my shirt, gripping my waist.

I wrapped my legs around him, and he lifted me off the ground with no effort and a sort of suspicious expertise I didn't expect from him. My left arm was around his neck for support as I let my right hand roam through his hair. His kissing was rough—hungry, but his lips were soft against my neck.

A few moans escaped my lips, and he growled lowly. Our bodies moved together languidly, and it was hard to ignore the smoldering between us.

I tried not to think about it as he placed me up against a wall while I threw my shirt to the side. He paused, as if drinking in the sight of me in my bra and I blushed at his hungry expression. In one quick movement, holding me up with stomach, he ripped off his shirt, his perfectly chiseled chest exposed.

I tried not to gawk too much.

_God…I knew Sasuke was hot, but…are you fucking serious?_

"So not fair," I whined, my face warming.

Sasuke smirked then, obviously in tune with my thoughts. He leaned in, but I stopped him.

"Can we just talk about this for a second?" I panted, gesturing between us, "I can't continue like this."

Sasuke snorted, licking his lips, "What is there to talk about?"

"That!" I accused, pointing to his mouth, "You can't just…lick your lips like that, you can't just _take _off your shirt like it's nothing."

Sasuke chuckled, and pressed his lips against mine softly, "But I just did."

"I want my shirt back," I mumbled against his lips.

"Dressing you isn't exactly my number one priority right now," Sasuke ran his tongue over across my lips and I shivered.

"When did you become such an expert?" I cried, pushing him back again.

"What?" Sasuke asked, an expression mixed with annoyance and amusement flitted across his face.

"Have you been making out with girls a lot lately or something?"

"Sakura, you're being ridiculous."

"What's ridiculous are your abs. Put your shirt back on!" My legs released his waist and I scrambled to put back on my shirt.

"Sakura…come here."

I grabbed his shirt off the ground, "Sasuke…please put on your shirt," I pleaded, "I can't make out with you when you look like that."

Sasuke's brows knit together in confusion, then he began to laugh.

"I'm being completely serious right now."

I started when the house phone rang.

"The phone's ringing," I said.

"You pick up." Sasuke rolled his eyes, running a hand through his messy hair.

_ God, he's still hot._

I ran for the phone, "Hello?"

"Sakura?" Naruto's voice boomed from the other line.

_Oh shit._

"SAKURA! Where the HELL—?"

"Okay I'm handing it to Sasuke!" I yelled quickly, practically throwing the phone across the living room. Sasuke caught it with ease and held it to his ear with a sigh.

I watched Sasuke's expression change, "Yeah she's fine, you can have a go at her later," he smirked in my direction.

_He's evil!_

"Right now? We'll meet you there. Where is he?" Sasuke's smirk slipped, "Here?"

In that instant, Gaara appeared in the kitchen. My heart slammed in my chest. He was dressed in a pair of ripped up jeans and a plain white shirt which contrasted his bright red hair.

"G-Gaara, hi!" I said a little too forcefully.

Gaara nodded, his expression unreadable. He nodded to Sasuke, who nodded back…still shirtless.

"Were…were you here the whole time?" I strained a laugh.

"I was in my room. Looks like you're okay. I'm guessing Ino's alright."

"Ino? Oh don't worry, she'll be back soon." I replied hurriedly.

Gaara nodded then, gulping down a glass of water.

Sasuke got off the phone then, "Gaara, Tsunade called a meeting. She wants us all in her office now."

"Yeah, Naruto texted me."

"Okay, I'll bring the car around," Sasuke sighed, and I chucked his shirt to him, "Sakura, let's go."

"I think it's better if I stay here and wait for Ino. She'll probably be back soon." I blurted. That and the fact that I _really_ didn't want to see Naruto right now.

"Out of the question." Sasuke growled quite differently from the way he did a few minutes ago.

"Gaara agrees with me!" I lied, looking over to where he stood, "Right Gaara?"

"He doesn't have a say in the matter, Sakura." Sasuke said in a hard tone that clearly meant he was not going to take any arguments.

"I have to be here when Ino gets back! Please? Please Sasuke!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, grabbing the keys as he walked out the door without turning around, "As you wish. But that doesn't mean you won't feel the wrath of Naruto later. Gaara, be ready to come out."

I whirled on Gaara, "Hey, uhm. How mad was Naruto?"

He was at the table eating a sandwich, flipping through a booklet of some sort.

"Mad as I've ever seen." He confessed, not looking up.

_Great._ _First Sasuke and now Naruto._

_So what now...you going to make out with Naruto too?_

I winced. What was I thinking getting involved with Sasuke?

_Oh God...Ino will kill me. I'd kill me._

"SAKURA?"

"Ino?" my head snapped up as Ino walked through the door Sasuke exited.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, incredulous.

"Itachi drove me home...You just _left _me there!" I replied, taking in the sight of her. She was dressed in a white dress and red heels. I crossed my arms, "Where _were _you? He told me you went out with Sasori!"

Panic ran through her eyes, "Did...did you talk to Sasuke or Naruto?"

"Uhmmmmmmmm."

"Did you spill the beans?" Ino inquired, strangely calm.

"Well I might have...told Sasuke that we went to the Akatsuki's concert," I stuttered.

"Well, hello cousin. Looking dashing as always," A familiar figure said trailing behind Ino through the door, "then again, you _are _related to me," Sasori smirked, crossing his arms.

My breath hitched and I was suddenly very afraid.

Gaara wasn't reading his booklet anymore. His eyes were narrowed and very alert as he stared Sasori down with a look of deep contempt.

"Cousin," Gaara finally spoke, "I can't say the same for you."

"I hear you're debuting very soon. _Congratulations_. If you ever need any drumming tips, you know I'd gladly help you out. The stage can always be a little intimidating."

Gaara stood then, grabbing the jacket off the back of his chair.

"I'll keep that in mind," Gaara replied walking past Sasori glancing briefly at Ino before walking outside.

"Sakura, 'til we meet again," Sasori smiled, his thumb grazing the side of my face, then exiting after Gaara.

I took a deep breath and glanced over at my best friend. I noticed how out-of-it Ino looked. She stood very still beside the door staring no where in particular.

"So..." I broke the silence, "You look nice."

She seemed to come back. Then she sank to her knees, "Oh God..." she moaned into her hands.

"Ino? What happened?"

"You're such an idiot."

"What?" I pouted, "Itachi forcefully _drove _me here! You should have seen the face-off between him and Sasuke..."

"I'm such a idiot." Ino continued to moan, "We're both such idiots!"

* * *

**A/N: **Hey everyone, **Jaycee **here. I don't even know where to start. Firstly, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read our story and review! :) We're very sorry about the hold up, life's been awfully busy lately. I personally had lots of fun writing this chapter so I hope you guys enjoy it. Things will start heating up very soon, so expect some crazy things for our girls. Again thank you for all your fantastic support and patience! We look forward to reading your thoughts! ^.^

**Avis: **For those that are reading this, thanks for putting up with our sporadic posts. My co-writer has pretty much summed everything up. We are back on track and ready to write the next chapter as soon as this goes up. I haven't been this excited about fanfiction in a while, glad we're back. :) Thanks for all the support!


	9. Keeping Secrets

**Disclaimer: **We do not own Naruto.

**Title:** Landing Amongst the Stars

**Genre:** Romance/Drama/Angst

* * *

**LANDING AMONGST THE STARS**

Chapter Nine: _Keeping __Secrets_

A collaboration by _**Winter Psyche**_ and _**tornupleather**_

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

Working under Kakashi was more pressure than I imagined. Some of the models weren't the friendliest of people, but the ones that recognized me from the fashion show offered their congratulations. I pulled on a red cotton summer dress admiring the way it contrasted against my fair skin. My arms automatically reached for a cream cardigan and my brown leather sandals.

"Sakura," I scanned the hooks where I kept my necklaces, "have you seen my silver necklace?"

"Which _one_?" She deadpanned, staring up from her chunky looking novel.

A frustrated sigh emitted from my glossed lips, "The one with the little bow and pearl charm!"

"Isn't it right there?" She pointed towards my night stand. I pursed my lips and stepped shamefully to pick up the chain, clasping it around my neck. Sakura inspected me curiously, "You look...fancy."

"I work for Kakashi Hatake," I put both hands on my waist, "of course I'm going to look fancy."

She shook her head, bubblegum tresses falling to the sides of her face, "I know, but you look especially fancy today."

I looked down, Sasori had offered me a ride home from work today. Maybe part of me did want to impress him, but I wasn't ready to admit that I had feelings for an Akatsuki member just yet.

"Oh my God!" A squeal escaped my best friend, something I'd gotten used to, "You _like_ someone!"

My heart dropped to my stomach. _Fuck._

She inched to the foot of the bed and rose on her knees, "That's why! Is it a certain red head we know...?"

Her eyes continued to scrutinize me.

Oh _God_. How could she have figured this out? Maybe she saw him dropping me off the other day. Or was it when we had coffee that one time? I suddenly realized how much I'd been seeing Sasori, you'd be a fool not to suspect something.

_Not that anything is going on..._

"Sakura," I didn't even know where to begin_—_my heart was pounding like crazy, I was surprised I could even breathe at this moment, "look, I wanted to tell you, but it's just...I know the guys wouldn't approve."

Her face twisted in confusion, "Gaara's their friend! I'm sure it won't be that big a deal."

Now my expression mirrored her's. So she _didn't_ know...?

"How about I set you guys up?" She clapped her hands together, clearly proud of her new plan, "Shinobi is debuting next week on Saturday and they're having a celebratory party before, you should be his date!"

I stared at her hesitantly, "How are you going to get Gaara to ask me out?"

"You'll see!" She winked mischievously and crawled back to her book, "It's so exciting, isn't it? I can't believe they're going to debut. They've been practicing twenty-four-seven these days..."

"I know..." I replied, a feeling of pride bursting from my chest.

"Anyway, you go to work and leave everything to me!"

I rolled my eyes and checked my watch, if I left now I'd still have ten minutes to spare, "Right."

"Have fun at work!" Sakura grinned as she waved her hand energetically.

"Yeah, yeah." I tossed my phone into my bag and shut the door behind me.

Stepping into Kakashi's building was still something I've yet to get used to. I thought back to when I was cleaning up after shoots, getting coffee, and organizing desks; now I was actually doing what I came to Tokyo for. Something I hadn't expected though was seeing Sasori and Gaara so frequently. The two models were definitely serious about this side of their profession, but that never quelled the cold tension between them.

Today was my first time working with the two cousins. And boy were something else in front of the camera.

Although their relationship was not smooth at all, their looks complimented one another effortlessly. Sasori had a suggestive glint in his eyes, while Gaara's jade ones beamed intensely at the lens. I didn't have time to gawk though, if Kakashi heard I was busy staring at the models_—_he'd fire me without another word.

"Ino," My superior called from the wardrobe rack, "could you fix them up?"

Knowing what he meant, I stepped over a few cables carefully towards Gaara. I reached for his collar and folded it properly, straightening out the shoulders of his shirt. I bent down and quickly hemmed the edges of his pants, feeling Sasori's stare was irritatingly distracting. Reluctantly, I turned to him and smoothed down his collar as well, he smirked at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Let's wrap this up, boys." The photographer bellowed and began snapping again as soon as I stepped off set.

"We're pretty much done for today." My superior scanned the room and smacked his lips together, "Yup, you're free to go."

I hated myself a little for wanting to stay and watch them finish up. My strides slowed, but eventually I ended up at the Starbucks next to the building.

"Grande americano, please." I mumbled to the barista as I dug for my wallet.

"Make that two." A voice I recognized as Gaara's ordered. He slid a twenty to the lanky cashier and pocketed his change moments later.

I walked with him to the other end of the counter, "Thanks, you didn't have to..."

He shrugged and took the drinks to a small rounded table. We sipped at our coffee silently for a moment, enjoying the soothing taste. I heard a short buzz emit from Gaara's end of the table, he pulled out his phone and chuckled.

"What's up?" I looked up at him curiously.

He simply handed me the Blackberry.

**Sakura Haruno / May 31st, 3:26 PM**

_HEY GAARA. So I was thinking that since you didn't have a date for_  
_your debut party, it would be a good idea to take Ino! :)_  
_You could ask her today when you see her! (I'm sure she'll say yes!)_  
_I hope you have a GREAT day at work!_

"Idiot." I pressed a palm to my forehead, now he probably thought I liked him. I didn't think Sakura would actually have the nerve to even speak to Gaara.

"Look," My hands waved in front of me defensively, "Sakura's just being stupid, forg_—_"

"I wouldn't mind." He stated calmly, irises bearing right into me.

My mind raced back to Sasori, how I had a glimmer of hope that he'd ask me. Then again, showing up to Shinobi's debut party on the arm of an Akatsuki member wouldn't be the best idea.

"Really, you don't have to give in, once you do, Sakura will thin—"

"_—_Do you have another date in mind?" He folded his hands together, an inquisitive expression on his pale face.

_Ah, shit. Sakura you suck._

"No!" I exclaimed a little too eagerly, "I just didn't want you to feel like you had to...um. Okay let's go together."

He curved his lips slightly into the most subtle smirk I've ever seen.

This time my phone buzzed and I pulled out my own Blackberry.

**Sasori No Akasuna / May 31st, 3:31 PM**

_Hey, finished the fitting. Bringing the car around in five._

I stood and tossed my empty cup into the bin, "Well, I should go, I've got a meeting! See you back home."

Gaara nodded and continued to sip his coffee. As I reached the front of Kakashi's building, Sasori's vibrant red vehicle rounded the corner. My fingers pulled the door open and I seated myself comfortable against familiar leather.

"How'd the fitting go?" I asked after pulling the seat belt across my body.

He let out a sigh, "Long."

"At least you'll look good for the party. You excited to perform?" I smiled at him and fumbled curiously through the business cards he had sitting in the cup holder.

"It should be fun, there will be a lot of people, that's for sure. Everyone's anticipating for Shinobi to be a huge hit," Sasori's voice portrayed a tight bitterness.

I felt awkward knowing that once Shinobi debuted, they would be official competition for Akatsuki, even if they were sponsored by the same entertainment group.

"Speaking of the debut party," he massaged the base of his neck with one hand, "how about you be my date?"

I paused and stared at a business card I'd already seen twice. Why did everyone have such crappy timing?

"I really don't think Sasuke would like that..."

_Neither would Sakura, Naruto, Kiba, Shikamaru, or _Gaara_._

He leaned back and exhaled audibly, "Damn that Uchiha, you really care that much?"

My eyes cast to the bright red on my toes, "Of course. He's my step-brother."

_And because you already said yes to Gaara, idiot._

"Fine. At least have dinner with me tonight?" He offered casually, swerving to the front of Shinobi's building.

"Sure." I smiled at him and got out of the car.

He walked me to the door, hands in his pockets. A smirk reached his lips, "It's a date then."

I was left breathless, pushing myself through to Shinobi's flat_—_so this was going to be a legitamet date. With Sasori. Tonight. As I passed a mirror, I giggled at my dazed expression.

Sighing I danced towards our room, "Oh, _Sakuraaaaa_!"

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

"Okay. We need to establish some rules," I stated matter-of-factly, staring across my room to a half-dressed, disheveled Sasuke Uchiha. It had been half a week since our first kiss and I was determined to instill some permanent boundaries. I tried not to let my gaze wander down to his perfectly cut abs.

I was failing.

"Alright," he replied, a twinkle of amusement in his deep-set onyx eyes. He was resting against the far wall, his hands comfortably in his jean pockets.

I picked up my phone and read off a list I had formulated, "Number one, Sasuke Uchiha must always keep his shirt on when making out with Sakura Haruno."

I didn't glance up, but I heard a deep throaty chuckle, "Why are you speaking in third person?"

I ignored him, "Number two, Sasuke Uchiha must _never_ make eye-contact with Sakura Haruno when making out."

"Sakura—"

"Thirdly, Sasuke must never let his gaze linger on Sakura's body for more than three seconds."

"Hn."

"Fourthly, if Sasuke wants to preserve the life of Sakura Haruno, he will not mention his make out sessions with Sakura Haruno to his stepsister, Ino Yamanaka. Or anyone, for that matter."

"What we choose to do does not involve Ino."

"Oh yeah, try telling Ino that and see if she agrees," I retorted, "Wait a sec, never mind. Don't try that. _Ever_."

"Sakura, come here."

"I'm not done. Fourthly Sasuke Uchiha must on_ no_ terms go past second base—"

I was cut off by the sudden collision of his lips on mine. I opened my mouth to protest, but he deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue past my lips. His teeth nipped my lower lip hungrily, and I felt like I was drowning.

"You already broke the first rule," I panted.

Choosing to ignore me, he moved his lips more aggressively over mine, and I explored his mouth tentatively with my tongue. I gasped when he reached up my shirt and cupped my breast. I moaned at the sensation, and then blushed immediately, when he let out a primal growl.

We were on the bed now, he was on top of me and I could feel the heat of his body through the thin fabric of my tank top. When he brushed a finger over my nipple, I arched my back and let out a noise I never thought I could make. He seemed stunned by my slutty moan and then a smug expression fell across his face. But something carnal and dangerous burned behind his gaze and my heart skipped a beat.

_God. Keep it in your pants, Sakura!_

"You're breaking the second rule!" I blurted, covering his eyes with my hand.

Gently breaking out of my hold, he leaned in, pinning my arms above my head with his left hand in one quick motion. With his right, he lifted the tank top over my head, pulling it completely off. He drank in the sight of me, shirtless and I flushed at the desire emitting from his eyes. It was a side I had never seen of Sasuke and it made my pulse race all the faster. I could feel my body burn with a strange tingling sensation as Sasuke continued to stare. I was beginning to feel extremely self-conscious, and I opened my mouth tell him he had broken the third rule. But he spoke first.

"Beautiful…" he mumbled, staring back into my eyes. My breath caught, and electric pulses of heat flew down my spine, pooling into my…

_Oh god. _

"Sakura…"

"Sasuke don't say anything!" I clamped my eyes shut and willed myself to snap out of my lusty haze.

"What do you want?" Sasuke inquired, soothingly, caressing the side of my face. Sparks from his touch weren't making it easier to think.

"I just—"

_"Oh Sakkkkkura! Sakura!"_ a voice sang from behind the door. "Open the door!"

"Oh _SHIT__!" _I silently screamed, "She's back! She's early! Why is she early?"

"Sakura calm down," Sasuke said coolly, as he rolled off the bed casually.

"What the fuck are we going to do?" I half whispered and screamed, jumping up and scrambling to my feet.

"Just tell her," Sasuke shrugged, crossing his arms.

My jaw dropped in disbelief, "No. Way. In. Hell."

"Well, what do you propose?" Sasuke eyes narrowed as he gestured around us.

"_Sakura? Open the door right now! I can hear you, you know."_

"Shhhhh!" I shushed.

"_I heard that! Sakura who're you with? Let me in!" _Ino called, pounding on the door.

"Shit! Okay, just…hide and I'll get her to leave us alone!" I hissed practically pushing him into the closet.

"The closet? How cliché," Sasuke replied, clearly unhappy about the turn of events.

"Just stay quiet, for the love of all that is good in this world. If you think Naruto's wrath is bad…you don't know your sister!"

I still shivered at last week's confrontation with Naruto. But I knew I would much rather relive Naruto's anger than encroach on Ino's.

"_Sakura Haruno! You open this door right this instant! How dare you have an affair without telling me!" _Ino's giggling took away from her words.

_She won't be laughing when she finds out who you were with._

"Uh, just one sec!" I dressed into a random shirt and slowly opened the door a fraction.

"My my, Sakura! Getting busy! Who is it? Do I know him?" Ino said smugly, propping both hand on her hips.

"Ino, uhm, if I promise to tell you later will you…leave?"

"Nope. I want to meet this mysterious man of yours."

From behind me, I heard Sasuke snort.

I switched tactics, "So...did Gaara ask you to the debut party?"

"Yes, actually he did...you're incredibly embarrassing, you know that?"

"Oh! I'm so happy!" I smiled, "And I can see you effects of your conversation. You seem in very high spirits today."

"Stop changing the subject Sak." Ino said, expressionless, "Let me in, or I'll force myself in."

"Please," I begged, "I tell you later, he's just extremely shy..."

"Excuse me, Sakura's lover!," she called pleasantly, looking past me into our room, "My name is Ino and I'm Sakura's best friend! You don't have to be shy!"

"Ino! Shush!"

"I'm very accepting and easy to impress! You don't have to worry about making a good impression!" she continued, trying to keep her laughter out of her voice.

"What are you doing?" an impossible voice came from down the hall...behind Ino.

"Hey Sasuke!" Ino beamed, "Guess what? Sakura's got a mysterious lover in her room!"

"S-Sasuke?" I heard myself gasp.

_What the hell?_

Sasuke appeared behind Ino, fully dressed and looking quite sharp...but _how_?

"C'mon, help me find out who it is!" Ino laughed, pressing against the door.

"I-Ino, let me explain," I replied uncertainly, glancing quickly behind me to the back of the room. The closet was wide open and empty.

"A mysterious lover, huh?" Sasuke smirked, "How interesting."

"I'll see him anyway! You're taking him to the debut party, right?" Ino inquired happily.

"No! He can't go!" I shot back quickly.

"Oh what a shame..." Ino actually looked _disappointed. _

"Well, I guess Sasuke will take you then." Ino smiled, turning on her heel, "Okay I'll leave you two...but this isn't over!"

My eyes bulged, "Ino! Wait!"

It was all I could do not to tackle Sasuke, who looked incredibly smug for someone who had almost been caught.

* * *

"So _where_ did you say you were going?" I demanded, bouncing impatiently on our bed as I watched my best friend get dressed for her _appointment._

"I already told you," she sighed exasperatedly, "Work stuff."

"That's awfully..._vague_." I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.

She ignored me, applying some strange shade above her eyes as she glanced in the mirror in front of her. Gazing over to the clock, a small smile spread across the face.

"I've _never_ seen you this happy to go to work," I accused.

Then she turned, "Sakura. How are you accusing _me,_ when you won't even tell me who you were apparently screwing _on our bed_?"

I felt my throat close up then.

_Ugh, she still remembers..._

"Don't look so surprised," Ino snapped, "Of course I remember."

"I told you...he's a shy person..."

"How did you meet him anyway? How are you meeting people?" It was Ino's turn to accuse me, and I blushed guiltily.

"Well you know how I've been working with Shikamaru?"

At least she knew that was true. Shikamaru had found me a couple days before goofing around on the piano, singing along to a few songs I had written in a moment of inspiration after intruding on one of their band's practices. Crazily enough, Shikamaru liked my stuff. Even crazier, he suggested I come to work with him, and I accepted almost too eagerly. After showing Tsunade my work, which had been one of the most intimidated and mortifying experiences of my life, she reluctantly allowed me to join up with Shikamaru's team.

Working with Shikamaru was like a dream—I got to listen in on their practices all the time, read over and edit proposed songs, and help _write_ them. What more, I was constantly surrounded by the boys and I was definitely warming to their company. I learned that Shikamaru was probably the smartest person on the planet—but also the laziest, that Gaara was actually quite hilarious in a straight-faced sort of way, and Kiba could eat more than Naruto, which said something about his metabolism.

"So you're...hooking up with songwriters? Is that wise...? Getting involved with people who work for the band? I'm sure Sasuke won't like it. Not to mention Naruto."

_UGH._

"Or...do you actually like him?" Ino asked, her tone a fraction more serious.

_Oh God...where do I even...?_

Did I like Sasuke? That was the ultimately question, wasn't it? I was attracted to him...that went without saying, but did I want to _be_ with him? I had been carefully avoiding these questions for the past two weeks, trying to keep things light and careless between us...we were just making out, after all. Nothing past second base...but it was getting tougher and tougher to avoid the impending conversation.

...Not that Sasuke seemed to mind too much. He seemed perfectly content not talking about feelings and all the other icky stuff that involved expressing emotions of any kind. But there were times when things just got so intense, too _personal._ And that's when I'd feel myself closing up, turning cold from hot, using any tactics to maneuver ourselves back to being just _friendly._

God and it was all so weird. He was Ino's step-brother. Someone I used to think of as family, someone I never thought I'd be kissing past the platonic stage.

_It's official. There is something seriously wrong with me._

"Sakura...? Are you actually serious about this guy?" Ino cocked her head in genuine surprise, and her expression grew soft.

"No no no no. I'll probably never see him again, actually," I said hurriedly.

"Yeah I thought so...'cuz if he was a serious thing, you'd have told me," Ino said suspiciously.

"Duh!"

Ino smiled, assuring herself and began to pick through her unending closet of shoes.

"While you do that, I'm going to grab a glass of water," I rolled my eyes and made my way down the hall. All the boys had left for a meeting with Tsunade, which I had been invited to, but I had decided to stay home that evening to hang out with Ino until her 'appointment'. Because of our work, we hadn't been seeing as much time as we should be seeing and at times I found myself missing her. Not that I'd admit that to her, she was already confident I couldn't function properly without her.

"So what are you up to tonight?" Ino asked, joining me in the kitchen.

"Shikamaru invited to Violet Generation's concert tonight. He had two tickets and was going to invite TenTen, but she's sick, so he invited me," I smiled, as I thought back to when we both discovered our mutual love for the band. Well, Shikmaru wouldn't call it _love_...

Ino's faced adopted a shocked expression, "Oh, that's awesome! I had no idea you guys were so close."

"We've practically been working together everyday," I laughed, "But, I'm _so_ excited! I've been listening to their music constantly."

Ino laughed at my expression, "Tell me how it goes."

"Try and have fun at your _appointment_."

"I'll try."

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

Sasori eyed me as I observed the lake located not too far from the restaurant. He was a perfect gentleman the whole night, opening doors for me and pulling out my chair. Now that I thought about it, he's always done those things for me.

_Would this be considered...dating? Am I _dating_ Sasori?_

I started thinking about how furious Sakura would be once she found out.

"What's on your mind?" He folded his arms on the table, dark brown orbs still focused on me. I began to grow comfortable under his gaze, something that used to intimidate me.

"If Sakura knew where I was right now," I sighed and rested my chin on the table, "she'd kill me."

Sasori's brows lifted slightly with amusement, "She hates me that much, huh?"

"No, no..." I lifted my head, "Sakura just hates secrets, and she doesn't exactly trust you."

He had a thoughtful expression on his face now, "Well your secret's safe with me."

I couldn't help but smile.

"Oh fuck." Sasori mumbled under his breath. His gaze shifted away from the window and he stood from our table, "We gotta go, Ino."

I was about to ask him why, but suddenly noticed a familiarly blinding flash. Instinctively, I turned away from the source and took Sasori's held out hand. He asked a passing waiter where the back door was and slipped him a ten. We hurried out of the building as quickly as possible and ran through a near by alley way, stopping in a narrow space between buildings.

"Seriously...?" I sighed, lowering my head.

"Sorry." He leaned on the wall, my hand still in his, "This isn't exactly what I had planned."

I was surprised at how apologetic he looked. I never dared to think Sasori would have actual feelings for me. Of all the girls he could be out with tonight, he chose to be with me though. That said something, right?

"Don't worry about it." I laughed taking three steps back to lean on the opposite wall. There was hardly any lighting, but his hair was still very visible to my eyes. My vision fell from his eyes to his lips, barely a shadow in the darkness.

Sasori moved towards me this time. He hovered over my petite stature, an arm extended to press against the wall I rested on. As much as I wanted to crash my lips onto his again, I took a hold of his hand and stepped to his side in one swift motion—guiding him out of the alley. He looked after me silently, puzzled at my sudden action.

_Not tonight..._

"I've been here a week and a half," I spoke softly as we returned to pedestrian side walks, "but I haven't really seen Tokyo."

He smirked and began leading me now. We walked for about ten minutes before I realized where he was taking me: the lake. We climbed a few stairs and reached the viewing dock.

"You were staring at it a lot during dinner." He released my hand and stuffed his into his pockets, "Thought you might want a better view."

"It's..." I lost my words as a overwhelming breath escaped me. My legs were intent on stepping closer to the edge, my fingers gently pressing against the wired fence. The fence only came up to my chest, allowing me to dangle my arms over it. I was still in awe at how beautiful the lake was, watching the city lights sit silently on its surface.

Then, I noticed a particularly bright building being reflected. My eyes searched for the original image, then paused at the sight of a tall red tower. The name seemed to escape my mind, causing me to hum thoughtfully.

"Tokyo Tower." Sasori stared up at it as well, not with as much wonder as I though.

"Have you ever been at the top?" I continued to gaze, leaning my head onto his toned bicep.

He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me close against his chest, "Not since I was a kid."

"I bet it's beautiful up there." My voice became breathy and gentle. Somehow being this close to him was soothing, and I felt...protected, _safe_.

Sasori pressed his lips to my temple, "I'm really glad I met you."

My entire body felt like it was going to melt, my knees were on the verge of giving in. As soon as he pulled his lips away, I craned my neck to look up into his eyes. Something was different about them, he held my irises in a tender gaze. His lips broke into a small smile.

"I should get you home." Sneaking a glance at his watch, I realized how late it had gotten.

My expression turned into a pout at which he chuckled at. We drove in comfortable silence, sneaking glances at each other once in a while. My eyes dropped to my feet when the Shinobi building came in sight. The night had passed so quickly...

He walked me to the front as usual, leaning forward and pressing his lips onto my cheek. My lips separated, and I'm sure I had on a dumbfounded expression.

"Goodnight, Ino."

"Night..." I whispered and watched him walk back to his vehicle, running inside before he turned to look back. I leaned outside the door to our flat and smiled to myself. Maybe falling for him wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

It was too late anyway, just the thought of him sent tingles across my body. Before, I thought the only thing Sasori was interested in was meaningless sex with hot girls, but now I had a better sense of who he really was. Although I knew I didn't have him all figured out yet.

Sighing I opened the door and floated into the living room.

* * *

**~Sakura~**

"SHIKAMARU THAT WAS THE BEST CONCERT I'VE EVER BEEN TO!" I exclaimed dreamily, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Ah, so those are tears of joy then," Shikamaru joked, returning my hug.

"Thank you so much for inviting me, you're truly the best!" I grinned, humming a Violet Generation song and skipping to the car. It was dark now and I wondered if Ino was home yet.

"Hinata and Neji are just so incredibly talented. God, Hinata is so cool. And Neji," I squealed thinking back on the pretty boy's performance. It was flawless.

We stepped into the car and in the corner of my eye I saw Shikamaru smirk, "You'll see them again soon."

I flailed, "What? When?"

"Our debut party. They'll be performing." Shikamaru started the ignition, slowly pulling out of the parking lot.

I sighed with overwhelming happiness, slumping against my seat, "Oh god. I could die of happiness right now."

"Don't die just yet," Shikamaru replied, "Sasuke won't be able to find a date by next week."

I grinned, pushing his arm playfully. Then I widened my eyes, "Hey! Wait a sec, Ino's going with Gaara and I'm going with Sasuke...but who're you going with? And what about Kiba and Naruto?"

"Naruto is going with Gaara's sister, Temari. She's flying over from Osaka with her brother Kankuro," Shikamaru explained.

It may have been my imagination, but I could've sworn Shikamaru's voice dropped and octave in the last part of the sentence.

"Oh, I had no idea Gaara had any siblings."

"Sure does. Kiba's taking Hinata actually," Shikamaru smiled bemused.

"Oh. My. God," I breathed, "Are you serious? I had no idea they were friends, let alone...!"

"They go way back," Shikamaru nodded, turning at an intersection.

Maybe it was the way the lights hit him, but all of a sudden I was acutely aware of how good-looking Shikamaru was. His hair was pulled back in his trademark pony-tail, and his lips were full like a girls, currently stretched back into a smirk. He had the most beautiful cheekbones I had ever seen. His long fingers were gripped firmly around the steering while, and I had no idea why I found it attractive.

"You're extremely handsome," I confessed in a rush.

His arched an eyebrow at my confession, "I've been described a lot of things."

"No, you are! And you're the smartest person I know. You're gifted with music and you're so _nice_," For some reason, I was compelled to express how I felt, "I bet you could get any girl you wanted."

"If only all girls shared your views," he smirked, and I could tell he was still joking, but there was a tightness around his eyes. So I knew he still didn't believe me.

"So who're you going with?" I grinned like an idiot.

"You've met TenTen," he smiled secretively.

_UGH. Of course, it was her he had invited to the concert in the first place._

I scrunched up my face and Shikamaru chuckled softly.

"You could do so much better," I said confidently.

"We're only friends," he assured, pulling into our driveway, "and really, you've stolen my words."

I gazed at him in confusion, "What do you mean?"

All he needed to do was smirk and I understood.

_He knows. He knows about me and Sasuke. Shit. Of course he does. _

I face burned under his smug gaze, but I didn't dare protest.

"Don't worry," Shikamaru said, stepping out of the car gracefully, "I can keep a secret."

* * *

"Hey, how was the concert?" Ino grinned, getting up from her bed. She was dressed in her PJs and her hair pulled up in a messy bun.

"It was amazing," I sighed falling back against the door, "They're amazing."

"I'm glad it went well," Ino sang.

"You seem in a pretty good mood yourself," I beamed, "Did the meeting or appointment or whatever go well?"

It was her turn to sigh, "It went better than expected."

"Well that's good!" I smiled, diving onto the bed next to her, "Apparently Violet Generation is performing at the party! I'm so freaking excited!"

"Yeah it should be really fun," Ino smiled dreamily.

"All's good in the world."

"You said it."

"It's in a week."

"I know."

"I'm so excited."

"I know."

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

_"SHIT!"_

I rolled my eyes, still sifting through dresses—unsure of what my attire for tonight would be, "What are you wailing about this time?"

"My notebook!" I didn't need to turn around to know she was gripping her pink tresses in urgently, "It has all the songs in it! Shikamaru is going to _kill_ me!"

"Well, I haven't seen it." I sighed and pulled out a white dress only to return it to its original place. "Maybe it's at the office?"

"No, no, no it can't be! I had it…the debut party is tonight!" She was opening and closing drawers like a madwoman, flipping through papers. I had to admit though, our room became just as messy as the rest of this flat. Maybe cleaning up around here wouldn't be such a bad idea...

"Oh my _God_." Sakura's deadpan was something I hadn't anticipated.

This time I made the effort to turn, "What's wrong?"

"Sasori." She shook her head in disgust holding up a magazine.

"Oh," I tried not to seem too invested, "What about him?"

She rolled her eyes and continued to stare at the glossy booklet, "He's out with _another_ bimbo."

My stomach turned uncomfortably. Rage burned in every part of my body, reddening my cheeks. All that bullshit about him actually caring about me. Suddenly I felt like an idiot for believing him, "Seriously? Who's the unlucky bitch?"

"Take a look," She handed me the magazine.

Looking at the picture, I could feel my knees weaken. This was the night we went for dinner, but got interrupted by paparazzi...oh God. If I hadn't turned away, they would have gotten my face in the shot. Sakura would have found out and that would be an even bigger disaster than Sasori dating another girl.

"_Ohhh_..." I faked a repulsed expression as well, "...gross."

"You _definitely _have better hair!" She exclaimed, scrunching her nose in disgust.

"Oh...thanks." I replied half-heartedly, "Yeah, I can't _believe_ that guy..."

"I know!" Sakura returned to digging through piles of loose sheets and old magazines, "He just can't keep it in his pants!"

I blushed and turned back to face my closet.

"Back to your issue...Shikamaru has his own copies, right?" I studied a bright emerald dress that cut off mid thigh. I pressed the garment against a squirming Sakura, "Here."

"Who is this _unfortunate_ girl?" Sakura wailed, scrutinizing the photo.

_Shit._

"Sasori is an idiot, let's just forget him," I suggested quickly, pulling the magazine out of her hands. But she held on, tighter.

"Let go, Sakura," I gritted through my teeth.

"She looks awfully familiar though..." Her eyes were slits now.

"Sakura, he isn't worth your time! Put this dress on, I think it'll look nice on you."

"I guess…" She relented and finally let go of the damned magazine. She slumped and took the hanger from me., "and why am I wearing one of _your_ dresses?"

I shook my head, "Because I know you don't own any."

She pouted and removed her shorts and tank top. I swiveled to find an outfit for myself when my eyes landed on a navy bandage dress. I quickly slipped into it and turned towards Sakura: who looked slightly uncomfortable in the dress I handed her. Nonetheless, she flawlessly pulled off the shade, her eyes seeming greener than usual.

"That's pretty." She swept her eyes over my garment as I handed her a set of silver bangles and some nude heels.

I placed a hand on the dresser for support as I slipped on some bright red heels, "Try not to fall and embarrass Sasuke."

"Right, 'cause I wouldn't be embarrassed at all." Her eyes rolled as she did a small practice lap in our room.

"You know what I mean." I giggled and stood a few inches taller than before, "I think they're waiting on us."

I opened the door and was immediately greeted with an image of the guys seated in the living room. Each of them looked so…handsome.

Sasuke was the first to stand, "Limo's here."

"Where's Kiba?" My best friend questioned to no one in particular.

"He's meeting us there with Hinata." Sasuke answered, looking her directly in the eyes.

I raised a brow when Sakura began inspecting her nails diligently, "Sakura, look where you're going."

Her head snapped up and she laughed nervously, "Oops."

"Dummy." I sighed and stepped into the limo next to Gaara. Once the vehicle began moving, Sakura and I looked at one another—both anxious. Having Shinobi and Akatsuki under the same roof was an awful idea, something I did not wish to experience. Especially since I would be on Gaara's arm. My mind began to wander, who would Sasori be taking then? Probably some gorgeous model…

Once we arrived, I noted that photographers and reporters were everywhere. We stepped out by couple—Gaara and I just in front of Sasuke and Sakura. My adrenaline was amped up as we stopped to let the paparazzi take their pictures. Gaara had a hand around my waist and I leaned into him a little, still smiling into blurs of flashing white. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Akatsuki arriving and suddenly I was eager to head into the building. Sensing my urgency, Gaara took my hand and lead me off the red carpet.

My gaze landed on the stage set up against the far wall.

"I'm really proud of you guys." I admitted shyly, slightly blushing once I noticed his hand was still wrapped around mine.

He looked down at me, "Thanks."

"You guys escaped in a hurry." Sakura crossed her arms over her chest, I couldn't help but notice Sasuke's firm grip on her waist. They actually didn't look that bad together. I giggled mentally at the idea of my best friend and my step-brother dating.

"I'm never going to get used to those cameras…" I resisted the urge to rub my eyes, knowing it would turn my makeup into a smudged mess. I noticed Sakura's expression turn sour as did her date's.

Curious, I turned around to see Akatsuki making a hell of an entrance: Itachi, dressed in a black shirt and white suit, had a beautiful woman on his arm. I recognized her as Kurenai Yuhi, a singer under FU Entertainment along with Shinobi, Akatsuki, and Violet Generation. Her hair was parted down the middle and curled to hit just below her shoulders. The strapless white dress contrasted her jet black locks, extending down to the floor and a slit beginning mid thigh.

Pein was in black slacks and a red blazer in coordination to Konan's glamorous crimson garment. The fabric swept along the floor as she waltzed in gracefully, her hair pinned up extravagantly. Behind them came Deidara in a typical black tuxedo, with a confident smile on his face as he escorted another man with scruffy brown hair.

It took me a second to process who and what _gender_ his date was.

_Is Deidara...?_

My eyebrows arched curiously.

Then, Sasori entered in a metallic grey suit with both hands hidden in his pockets. His image captivated all my attention, the way his outfit complimented his vivid hair and pale complexion. I expressively scanned him up, until I noticed his glare, literally emitting murderous waves, on mine and Gaara's entwined hands.

I felt bile rise from my throat. Of course he was angry, I mentally kicked myself. I was with his cousin—the last person I should have been with. His lips curled back ever so slightly, but I didn't miss the snarl of warning: not to approach him that evening. It was at that moment a pale blond latched herself onto Sasori's arm and I widened my eyes and quickly looked away.

I was so _screwed_.

* * *

**A/N: Jaycee **here. Bet you guys weren't expecting the speedy update! Thanks so much again for all your lovely support. You're reviews always make our day!

**Avis: **As promised, we're completely on track with this story. Hopefully you all are enjoying the story and the direction we're taking it in. Thank-you all for your support as well as reviews, we love reading them. Next chapter will go up in about a week, so stay with us. :)


	10. The Debut Party

**Disclaimer: **We do not own Naruto.

**Title:** Landing Amongst the Stars

**Genre:** Romance/Drama/Angst

* * *

**LANDING AMONGST THE STARS**

Chapter Ten: _The Debut Party_

A collaboration by _**Winter Psyche**_ and _**tornupleather**_

* * *

**~Sakura's POV~**

Ino's expression froze on her face the moment the Akatsuki entered. I didn't blame her, I was feeling slightly intimidated as well, and my pulse sped up as a hush fell across the grand ballroom. I subconsciously gripped Sasuke's arm tighter, unsure what to do with myself. I took the chance to sneak a glance at him, studying his expression. His jaw was set, and there was a familiar glint of red in the eyes, a trait he and his brother shared when they were angry. I shivered involuntarily when his eyes shifted to mine. We exchanged glances...a mutual tensity that made us both stiffen at the neck. I relaxed somewhat when Sasuke's arm pulled me closer, but flinched when he brushed his lips at the base of my neck. I was surprised at how little it took my body to react, then felt completely disgusted with myself.

"Don't let them concern you," Sasuke muttered against my ear in a subtle fashion and led me to our seats. The Akatsuki were seated at a large round table in close proximity to the stage, which they would be performing on soon. Naruto and Temari were already seated, and what looked like in a heated conversation.

"Hey Sasuke, hey Sakura!" Naruto exclaimed looking relieved. He stood up with Temari and quickly introduced us.

"Nice to meet you! I've been waiting to meet you!" I beamed, taking her dainty hand.

"Same," Temari's eyes glinted under the soft lights.

I swivelled my head, "Is your brother here?"

"Kankuro? Yeah he's just came in," Temari nodded in the direction Sasuke and I came.

I turned tentatively and searched, but all I saw was the Akatsuki surrounded by a bunch of people I didn't recognize or care for.

I opened my mouth, but stopped when my vision zeroed on a sandy browned haired boy. I scrunched my eyes when I recognized the blonde Akatsuki member beside him who currently had a arm wrapped protectively around his waist. I felt my jaw drop in genuine shock.

"You'll get a chance to meet him later," Sasuke said curtly, his gaze narrowing behind me, his arm still against my lower back.

Like a pair of magnets, my eyes immediately shifted towards Sasuke's line of sight.

My eyes narrowed on a tall raven-haired Akatsuki member, dressed in a white tux. From where I was standing, it looked like he was deep in conversation with someone. I craned my neck to see with whom, but stopped momentarily when I saw a glimpse of Sasori a few meters away. He was too, conversing with an older looking couple. I rolled my eyes when I noticed a petite looking blonde on his arm.

_Probably the girl from the newspapers. _

I sighed and veered my gaze back to Itachi.

My heart slammed painfully against my rib cage and my eyes instantly widened when I realized two, dark, indifferent eyes were staring back at me.

_Holy shit, Sakura...breathe._

Sasuke visibly bristled next to me and I automatically placed a hand on his arm to calm him. Not that I was doing any better. My heart was beating erratically and I fell short of breath. Just as fast as our eyes connected, Itachi looked away and returned to his guest.

Sasuke cursed underneath his breath and narrowed his eyes in annoyance, "He's angry."

I took a deep breath, "He has no right."

"It's because you're with me," Sasuke stated, his voice hard and tense, "He doesn't like being caught off guard."

A shiver ran through my spine, but I stayed silent watching the rest of the guests pile in.

In an instant, there was commotion at the entrance way, and I widened my eyes when I realized that Violet Generation had arrived. Kiba looked incredibly cute in his black tux, with the gorgeous Hinata Hyuuga on his arm dressed in a ravishing saffron evening dress. She was stunning as always. They were immediately followed by her twin, Neji Hyuuga who escorted a girl that had the uncanny likeness of Hinata.

"Hanabi Hyuuga. She's their younger sister by two years," Sasuke explained, chuckling at my confused expression, all previous tension dissipated.

I smiled and took his hand, "Let's go say hi."

Sasuke smirked, "Shikamaru told me you were fond of Violet Generation."

"Maybe just a little," I teased, tugging on his arm, "speaking of Shika, where is he?"

"He's with Tsunade, they're probably setting up some gear."

"Oh," I pouted, "He promised he'd get me their autograph..."

"Never pegged you for the fan girling type," he teased.

But my smile faltered.

_"Never pegged you as a song writer."_

_"And what have you pegged me for, exactly?"_

I shivered at the memory.

"Only for Violet Generation. And I have a feeling I'll like Shinobi too," I joked half-heartedly.

"Sasuke, you're looking sharp. Hey Sakura!" Kiba grinned, sauntering over.

"Kiba! Oh my gosh, Hinata. Hi! We've meet before!" I tried not to hyperventilate in the Hyuuga's presence, who turned her pale violet eyes in my direction.

"Yes, I remember, Sakura correct? Nice to meet you again," Hinata smiled sweetly as we shook hands, "Sasuke, I'm very excited for Shinobi's debut, congratulations."

"Try not to steal too much of the spotlight this evening," Sasuke smirked.

Hinata blushed and I tried not to coo at her expression, "You're far too kind."

_Oh, she's so perfect. Like a real life fairytale princess._

"Where's Neji?" I asked, on the brink of fulfillment. All I needed was to see Neji up close and I could go home happy.

_Oh god, you are a fangirl._

"I saw him go backstage with Hanabi a while ago."

"Maybe he wanted to check out the stage," I suggested, looking around the humongous venue.

"Wherever he is, I'm sure he will return soon," Hinata said quietly.

"Why don't you seat Hinata at our table?" I smiled gesturing over to where Naruto, Temari, and Gaara sat.

"Yeah sure," Kiba replied watching me intently, "This way, Hinata."

When we reached the table I noticed that Ino was missing, "Hey guys, you happen to know where Ino is?"

"Huh? Oh, she excused herself a couple seconds ago," Naruto replied, scratching his head.

"Oh, okay I'll go look for her then! Be right back!"

"By yourself? Don't think so." Sasuke said curtly.

"I'm not a child," I said indignantly, "I need a bathroom break anyway."

"Then try not to get lost," he sighed.

"You and Ino have absolutely no faith in me what-so-ever."

* * *

_Where did she go?_

Grabbing my phone, I quickly punched her speed dial number, pressing it against my ear in exasperation.

_Pick up, pickuppickuppickup..._

"Ino, where are you? Well you won't believe it but Hinata is sitting at our table! Hurry up and get your ass back here!" I blurted after the message 'beep'.

Sighing, I slipped my phone back into purse, walking no where in particular. I began to pick up speed when I caught a glimpse of a tall bodacious blonde shouting what looked like orders at one of the backstage crew. I started when someone grabbed my arm. My eyes shot up, laying eyes on two security guards dressed in all back, with wires than ran from their earpieces to beneath their tuxes.

"Nobody is allowed backstage."

I huffed, "I'm just looking for my friend."

"It's alright boys. She's with the band." Tsunade called over casually.

I smiled in relief and made a point by stomping past them.

"Thanks," I replied uncertainly. I still didn't know whether Tsunade had accepted me as part of the band or if she even liked me at all. It was hard to tell behind her reserved demeanour.

"Just tell them that you're with Shinobi next time," Tsunade said breezily, resting her hands on her voluptuous hips. She was dressed in a professional business blazer, and a black skirt that stopped just above her knees. Her blonde hair was down, curled away from her face. It was the first time I'd ever seen Tsunade so feminine.

"Your friend was lingering around the storage closet last time I saw her."

"A storage closet?" My voice cracked unattractively.

_What the hell are you doing in a storage closet, Ino?_

* * *

**-Ino's POV-**

I knew Sasori didn't want anything to do with me tonight. Or ever really.

But that wasn't going to stop me from trying to explain myself. My eyes searched for him, but to my disappointment—the red head was nowhere to be found. I had excused myself from the table a half hour before the first performance.

I was about to make my way back to the party when a hand clamped around my forearm, dragging me into a dark closet. Still unsure of who had grabbed me so violently, I panicked, struggling to escape. Then a single bulb turned on, barely illuminating the room. But the infuriated face before me was more than familiar.

He snarled, "Can you tell me what the fuck you're doing here with _him_?"

I had no idea what to say now. Before, I was intent on explaining everything, but my mind went blank. My breath shortened and I could hardly focus with his nails digging into my flesh.

"Well?" He jerked me roughly, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"I-I…" My voice was shaky and weak, "I didn't mean to—"

"Honestly, Ino!" He released my arm and turned to press his forearm against the wall, his head resting on it as well. I watched his back tense and flex through his suit.

"Sasori…" Nothing intelligent resided in my head at the moment. I let out a frustrated sigh, "I'm only here with him because it's _their_ party. What would they think if I showed up with you?"

"Screw them, Ino! Why are you so obsessed with pleasing them? What about _me_?" He whipped around to glare at me, his tone daring and thunderous.

"They're my friends! Obviously I care about what they think of me." I contained my voice, but still expressed my exasperation, "I…"

I didn't know what to say, how to explain that Sakura would never approve. How betrayed Sasuke would feel, and not to mention the fury of Naruto. How I had fallen so hard for him, and just the thought of not being able to be with him was devastating. My voice caught in my throat each time I attempted to tell him.

I couldn't say it.

"I should've known." He ran a hand through his ember hair and chuckled bitterly, "I should've known this would never be able to work. I'm such a_ fucking_ dumbass."

"Sasori," I choked, pushing back my tears. I reached out but he flinched from my touch.

This was it: I was going to lose him.

"Stay away from me, Ino. Don't you ever fucking come near me," he seethed, shaking his head, "or I can't be responsible for my actions."

I burst into tears then, unable to contain my pain. Unable to hide my feelings anymore.

"Don't worry," Sasori laughed cruelly, "It's not you. I thought I could change, but thanks to you I've realized that it's impossible to change your nature."

I brought my hands to my face, unable to utter anything but my sobs.

"Bye Ino," Sasori said softly, leaving me alone in the dim-lit room.

I leaned against the wall with a soft 'thump' and slid to the floor, tears still pouring from my eyes. My heart squeezed in agony, choked up sobs being muffled into my hands. My phone continued to buzz, but I threw it to the other side of the small space.

I was an idiot for thinking he would understand. This was completely my fault, and to make it worse, Sasori thought it was his. Maybe if I had just focused on my job and ignored him, things wouldn't have turned out this disastrous. Why did I even think for a second that I deserved someone like Sasori? He was capable of change, I knew he hadn't been out with any other girl ever since we started going out.

_But me?_

I came to a public event with the person he despised the most. And to top it off, I've been lying to my best friend this entire time. I was beginning to wonder what this city was doing to me, what I had turned into.

My body began to shiver, yearning for the warmth of his by my side.

_He's always been there…_

I swallowed the guilt and heartbreak and stood in search of the nearest bathroom. As I turned the corner, I bumped into a hard chest.

"Ino?" My eyes stared at the man's feet. I was aware of what a mess I probably looked like, and having to explain this to someone I knew was frankly—just embarrassing.

"Hey…" He tilted my chin up, until I met his gaze. Shikamaru. "Are you okay?"

My attempt to form a comprehensible sentence failed as tears streamed down my face again. I felt him wrap an arm around me and we began walking somewhere. He pushed open a door and sat me down on a sofa, handing me a box of Kleenex.

"It's Akasuna isn't it?" He bent forward in his seat, resting his arms on the tops of his knees. I nodded, not even worried about the fact that he knew. Sasuke had told me about how intelligent this boy was.

He sighed and turned to look at me, "Look, I'm not too experienced in the field of relationships, but one thing I'm sure of is that things blow over one way or another."

I bawled into his shoulder, gripping the fabric of his sleeve desperately. I gazed down through my wet lashes, there was a piercing ache in my chest. He was right. And that meant from now on, Sasori would be a part of my past.

Once I seemed to calm a little, Shikamaru spoke, "C'mon. Sakura's probably worried."

I exhaled deeply, watching my reflection in the mirror to my right. I had wiped all the smudged makeup from my eyes, but that didn't prevent the redness around them. I guess I still looked presentable, but there was still a hollowness in my eyes.

"I have to stay here and set up, will you be okay?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yeah, don't worry. Thanks for everything," I smiled half-heartedly and made my way back to our table.

"Ino!" Sakura had a bewildered expression on her face, "Where were you? Are you okay?"

"Couldn't find the bathroom." I laughed and took my seat between her and Gaara, who studied me from the side.

She didn't look convinced, "Seriously? You look a little traumatized…"

"It's nothing, Sak," I smiled at her again, "are they starting soon?"

I really hoped I could fool her. This wasn't exactly the idea time for me to reveal what I'd been hiding these past weeks.

"I think now…" She shifted her gaze to the stage, I knew we'd have this conversation again at home.

Akatsuki stepped onto the stage now, Konan leading them and bouncing to her spot in front of the microphone. Itachi strapped on his guitar, while Pein did the same with his bass. Deidara moved his fingers along the keyboard, filling the room with an amusing jingle.

My eyes never left Sasori as he strode towards his drum set, sticks already in hand. I noted the emptiness in Sasori's expression, even being this far from him. He pounded out a short rhythm as well, familiarizing himself with the set once more.

"How pumped are you to be here tonight?" Konan grinned at the crowed, "Let's give it up for Shinobi!"

A wave of cheers echoed throughout the room.

Konan stepped next to Deidara as they prepared to begin the show. She whistled a mysterious tune into the microphone, while the rest of the band snapped their fingers in a medium beat. Sasori tapped the hi-hats in a steady rhythm, setting the tone for the rest of the song. The blond sang into his mic with a sense of urgency, never pausing to take a breath. Konan joined in instantly, their voices blending harmoniously. As the song continued on, she began a smooth rap—even I had to admit she was mesmerizing on stage.

As their voices disappeared for a few seconds, I watched Sasori keep the beat effortlessly. He was focused and completely in his element, but something was different from the last time I watched him perform. He didn't look excited at all to be up there, in fact his gaze fell down to his drums more than usual.

Guilt pulsed through me. I really shouldn't have fought with him before a performance.

_There are a lot of things you shouldn't have done..._

I sighed and lowered my head to stare at the centerpiece sitting in the middle of our table; flowers extravagantly arranged in a short, gold pot. As hard as I tried to focus on the sound of Konan and Deidara's voice—

—drumming was the only thing I heard.

* * *

**~Sakura~**

When Sasori ripped the mic out of Deidara's hand Ino visibly flinched back from the table, Hinata gasped, and my hand unconsciously flew to my mouth. Deidara, who looked half taken aback, smoothly transitioned to where Sasori had been sitting and picked up the beat for the song.

_They must've planned this…I had no idea Deidara could drum…_

Sasori was rapping some hard lyrics, and I found myself slightly mesmerized. His voice was the kind of voice you'd want to hear in a ballad, it was a smooth, like rich velvet. But now there was a twinge of strain in his voice, like a strange sort of desperation…

_Oh Sakura, you're being silly. The song is called 'Loveless'. How else is it supposed to be sung?_

Even from where we sat I could clearly see the muscles in his throat clenched tight, his breaths escaping, choppy and rugged.

Across the table, Ino looked as though she were about to cry. She had that expression she always had when she was trying desperately to hold back tears: her lips were set in a tight line, and her eyes were halfway shut, like she could barely watch.

I screwed my eyes; Ino wasn't this sensitive…was she?

I tried to get her attention, but she was entirely fixed on the drummer singing his heart out in front of us.

_Geez, it's just a performance…though he's definitely got quite the stage presence._

Sasori's frighteningly intense rap was followed by an ear-splitting guitar solo from Itachi. It shook the room and I could feel the music roll through me like a tsunami, crashing over my senses as I was held, captivated by his sound. His dark hair pulled back in a graceful ponytail only Itachi could pull off. Again, he had that expression in his face...the one that clawed at my insides from the first time I saw him perform. His fingers flew down the strings in record speed. When the song ended, I shuddered; trying to regain some feeling in my numbed state.

"They're talented," Temari murmured, leaning back into her chair and clapping along with the rest of the thunderous applause.

Tsunade took the stage and gave a speech after the cheers died down, welcoming and thanking everybody for coming to Shinobi's debut party. She cracked some jokes about the numerous times she was tempted to completely give up on the band, which elicited a roar from the audience. Naruto huffed, but Sasuke smirked, brushing a finger across my wrist. I glanced in his direction and smiled uneasily and it wasn't hard to see my expression mirrored in his. There a stiffness in his face, and I immediately recognized it as intimidation.

_Dammit..._

"You'll blow the stage," I whispered in his ear, meaning it, but I was taken aback by the unexpected protectiveness that enveloped me. They had nothing to be worried about. The Akasuki were talented, but I was confident that Shinobi would more than be able to hold their own in the music industry. What Shinobi lacked in experience made up in heart. The boys simply loved music. They worked hard, and gave it their all in each practice.

A hush fell among the crowd as the lights dimmed. I realized it was the second performance of the night. I squinted my eyes as I tried to remember what was written on the program.

My pondering was blown out of the water when what was probably the most ravishing woman I had ever laid my eyes on stepped onto the stage. Her hair was a mass of inky curls that slithered down to her slim waist. She was dressed in a long white gown that accented her voluptuousness. A universal sigh skimmed the surface of the crowd. You could feel the atmosphere change into something subtle, but nonetheless powerful and sexy. She was raw desire in the flesh.

"Kurenai Yuhi," Sasuke breathed, planting a soft kiss at the curve of my neck.

My eyes darted around the table in fear, but I relaxed when I was sure nobody had seen. They were all too entranced by the exotic beauty before them. She gripped the mic confidently with both hands just as a slow, dreamy melody drifting from behind her. It was then I noticed a small symphony of violinists, cellists, and all the string instruments you could possible name.

_How...can people look like that? God, so unfair._

Two male dancers dressed black emerged from the shadows behind her.

Seductively, she drew one in close, caressing the side of his face then abruptly turning to the other one of her left. They danced around like marionettes in sync with the tempo of her voice. Her voice was something I had never heard before. Her tone was sweet with a hint of sexy edge, but there was a quality about it I couldn't put a finger on. There was something wretched in her sound, and her voice had matured beyond its years.

When the song ended, a stunned applause followed. Kurenai smiled into the mic, gesturing to her orchestra and her backup dancers.

"I would like to thank everyone for coming out to support our debuting band, Shinobi. I am confident that they will succeed in the music industry; their effort and hard work has certainly paid off. I wish them all the best in their future endeavors and hope they receive the same outstanding support I received all these long years…"

"Whoa," Naruto grinned sheepishly, "Ms. Yuhi sure has gotten far, eh?"

"She's magnificent," Hinata sighed, bringing a hand to her cheek.

I still didn't really know to say, so I kept silent.

_"...not worried because they are in good hands…the best hands." _Kurenai finished, flashing Tsunade a smile.

"You guys know her?" Ino asked tentatively.

"Yeah, she and Tsunade go way back. They started up in the music industry about the same time," Kiba answered fondly, "She used to watch us practice."

"That's cool," Temari nodded, as Kurenai was escorted off the stage and the clapping subsided, "I heard she was dating the President of FU Entertainment Company, is that true?"

"It's a rumor," Sasuke suddenly spoke up.

"I saw her come in with Itachi," Ino said quietly, but a dark expressed flickered across her face, "Are they…?"

_What?_

"Kurenai used to be the Akatsuki's manager," Sasuke said curtly, obviously unhappy with the mention of his older brother.

Kurenai came in with Itachi? How had I missed that?

All of a sudden, I felt sick but there was no proper explanation.

Without thinking I glanced over to the Akatsuki's table. Kurenai was seated next to Itachi, laughing at something someone had said. She shoved Itachi playfully, who in turn reluctantly smiled. Even from far away I could tell his smile was genuine, with no hidden agenda or sarcastic intonations.

Something unexpectedly slammed painfully in my gut, but I couldn't tear my gaze away.

_He's…_

But I was angry again.

_Glad he's even capable of feeling._

My murderous glare must've reached him, and before I had the chance to react, his eyes met mine. Our glances met in frictional contact and in a split second, his smile dissipated. For some unexplained reason this enraged me further, and I narrowed in eyes in a look I hoped emitted pure hatred. For a short moment, I thought I saw flicker of confusion in his eyes before he smirked, turning back to his 'date'.

_I swear one day I'll punch that infuriating smirk in his teeth._

"Sakura?"

"Huh?"

Kiba cocked in head in concern, "You mumbling about punching someone in the teeth…"

"How do you punch a smirk in someone's teeth?" Naruto inquired, scratching his head.

I laughed nervously, "I must've been daydreaming—"

"Violent daydreams," Sasuke said, amused.

I quickly looked around for a topic switch, "Where's Hinata?"

"They're gone to prepare for their performance," Shikamaru answered, seating himself down next to Ino.

I smiled pleasantly, "Where were you?"

"I was in the back," Shikamaru drawled, yawning.

"Where's TenTen?" I said, less enthusiastically.

"She's helped Akatsuki set up, and now she's cleaning up."

"Oh right the secretary! She was in the building when we…" I cut myself off.

_...when we went to visit Itachi_.

"When…?" Naruto probed innocently.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes but stayed silent while the corner of Gaara's lip sloped downwards.

_Shit shit shit._

"We met her…" I tried again. I didn't dare glance at Ino.

"At the Violet Generation concert," Shikamaru finished lazily, kicking back in his seat, "I introduced you guys to her, along with the Hyuga siblings."

"Oh right, I remember now…" Ino added, shooting me the look of death that said: _Play along or you're dead._

"Right!" I said too loudly.

There was an awkward silence.

"Cool," Temari finally broke the silence, "I've always liked Violet Generation's sound."

"Me too!" I exclaimed.

"How long have you and Hinata known each other?" Temari directed her question at Kiba.

And everything went back to normal.

Well, except for the fact that _now_ Sasuke face was emitting waves of anger towards _me._ His whole posture was stiff, and I was guessing nerves were only half of it. He knew I was keeping something from him, which sucked because the one thing I was worse at than lying was keeping secrets from him and his brother.

* * *

Something was wrong with Ino. Now I was sure of it. It was bothering her, and countless times throughout dinner she looked as if she were about to burst into tears. But there was no way of talking to her, we weren't seated together and she wasn't directly across from me either. I spent the night trying to forget Akatsuki and focused on my best friend's odd behavior. She had seemed so happy lately...but why was she like this now? Did something happen when I wasn't looking? How did I miss that?

_You've missed a lot apparently._

My mind raced back to Kurenai and Itachi laughing together.

Involuntarily, my hands curled into fists underneath the table.

_Nevermind, I don't even want to touch his stupid face. I'll use a weapon._

"Ino. Let's go to the bathroom together!" I exclaimed.

"What?" Ino looked confused.

"Why...do girls do that?" Kiba scratched his head.

"We'll be right back," I smiled, pushing my chair back from the table and practically hauling Ino out of her chair.

"But I don't need—"

"—we'll be right back!" I finished for her.

My grip on her arm tightened, and she hissed but followed me reluctantly.

When we were far enough away, outside the main area I whirled on her.

"Seriously. What's wrong?"

"I don't know..." she trailed off, looking down.

I sighed and crossed my arms, "Ino, you're my best friend, I know when you're not alright."

She bristled, "Look, I really just need _space_, alright?"

I frowned, taken aback, "What is your problem?"

"Nothing that concerns you, Sakura." Ino sighed, running a hand through her hair, "And what _was _that?"

"_Huh_?"

"You almost told the whole table we went to visit Itachi! Sasuke obviously caught on!"

"I'll deal with it, don't worry," I said slowly, "We're not here to talk about Sasuke. You've been acting weird the whole night. I thought you were excited for this."

"I _am _excited...I just...can we please just drop it?" Ino's expression fell, her eyes watering. She let out a long choppy sigh, and hugged herself.

"Fine...we'll talk about it later." I relented, feeling utterly confused and out of the loop. Did something happened to Ino when I wasn't looking?

"Even then you just wouldn't understand," Ino snapped, suddenly angry.

_She is just so freaking moody!_

"Well maybe I'd be a little more understanding if I knew what the hell was going on!" I retorted.

"Just drop it, okay? Now if you'll excuse me…I want to see Violet Generation perform," Ino spun on her feet and marched off, leaving me in a mess of emotions.

I stomped in the opposite direction indignantly. Why the heck was she being so impossible? Then a thought dawned on me.

_Shit! Does she know about me and…?_

But my mind dismissed the thought: if she really did know, I wouldn't be here…breathing…walking…alive. I shuddered.

I stopped dead in my tracks when an overly familiar figure emerged around the corner.

Itachi must've been just as surprised, and I watched a shocked expression register on his face before it was replaced with a cool, unreadable gaze.

_Heart failure._

"Sakura," Itachi acknowledged, pausing briefly before me.

For a second, I couldn't speak. In one glance I drew in the sight of him in his white suit, tresses of straight ebony hair falling out of his ponytail. Even in his unruliness, he was still breathtaking. I took a deep breath and stepped back…he was too close.

"Itachi," I spat, icily when I finally had feeling in my mouth.

Itachi frowned, but only for a nano-second before his face went expressionless, "Shouldn't you be with your date?"

"I could say the same for you," I snapped back, getting angrier by the second. Who did he think he was? Wasn't he the one who didn't want any relations? Why were we even speaking right now? Why was I acting so childish?

"Kurenai Yuhi is our guest, I am simply her escort tonight," Itachi replied, keeping his gaze cool.

"Well, you aren't doing such a hot job." I fiddled with the fabric of my dress, unsure how to decipher his words.

"Sakura, if you don't mind me asking, why are you angry?" Itachi sighed, breaking the awkward impasse.

I started at his question, and the shift of atmosphere.

"I'm not angry."

"I see. You simply dislike my company."

My head snapped up sharply, "Are you serious right now?"

Itachi's face was masked, but there was a glint of mirth in his eyes.

"Have you totally forgotten everything?" I growled, curling my hands into fists.

_"Go home, you don't belong here." _

_"It's my life."_

_"There's nothing and nobody for me back home."_

_"Still just a girl."_

I could feel tears threatening to flow, and I bit my tongue, viciously repressing them.

_I'm seriously going to beat him up._

But to my surprise, Itachi's eyes simmered a dark crimson, "No Sakura, I've not. Unlike you, I remember it _all_," he hissed menacingly.

_The hell?_

An inexplicable fear stirred at my gut, my heart hammering against my chest erratically.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I bristled, clenching my jaw.

But he continued to adopt a hard expression, making no attempt to answer my question.

_Could this guy be even more infuriating?_

"Seriously Itachi…you really piss me off."

For a second, Itachi looked genuinely at a loss, and the crimson in his eyes faded. Something nagged in my chest at the familiarity of his expression.

_The old Itachi…_

_No, there's no 'old' Itachi anymore..._

I shifted my gaze to the floor, unable to look any longer.

"I assume you and my younger brother are what they call an item now." The coldness was potent in his voice.

"It's none of your business," I muttered half-heartedly.

"He is my brother."

"When did you start caring about your family?" An image of a broken Ino appeared in my mind. My body flared with anger and exasperation. I was tired of holding onto hope, hope that the old Itachi was still in there...that Itachi wasn't really who he was now. I was tired of _caring_. Caring about what he thought of me, what he was thinking. It was all too much, too much pain. The old Itachi wouldn't be here to watch over me anymore. The Itachi who stood before me could never be the person I needed, not anymore. And maybe he never needed me, maybe it was always my reliance on him. Was I a burden all these years?

I could feel the sting of tears at the bridge of my nose again and I willed them away.

I told myself this was a good thing, that I could finally move on from the past.

"You should return to your date," he said in a quieter voice, but laced with the same contempt.

I narrowed my eyes in resolve, "Alright Itachi. But from now on, you stay away from _me, _got it? I want nothing to do with you."

Itachi didn't even blink, "Understood."

* * *

**Jaycee & Avis: **Hello to all our lovely readers! Thank you for being so supportive up 'til now! We are grate for your kind reviews and your support :) Still lots of things coming up for our girls! Hope you guys enjoyed Shinobi's debut party as much as we did ;) (And hopefully not as much as Sakura and Ino did)

___Feel free to share your thoughts, we really do love feedback. ^ ^_


	11. MIA

**Disclaimer: **We do not own Naruto

**Title:** Landing Amongst the Stars

**Genre:** Romance/Drama/Angst

**Warning/s: **Language and _Explicitness_

* * *

**LANDING AMONGST THE STARS**

Chapter Eleven: M.I.A._  
_

A collaboration by _**Jaycee**_ and _**Avis**_

* * *

**-Ino-**

I carelessly threw on a navy summer dress and pearl earrings, "I still feel kinda bad for freaking out at you last week."

My memory raced back to Sakura's genuinely concerned expression and my snappy remarks towards her. As the night closed, she brought up my mood two or three times, still hoping to get an explanation out of me. I couldn't tell her about Sasori yet. But I knew the longer I waited, the more upset she would be.

"Are you ever going to tell me why you were so upset?" She frowned, brushing stray pink baby hairs out of her face. She had on one of my cream colored tank tops since she put off doing her laundry.

"I told you, I was just PMS-ing," I laughed off the question and quickly switched subjects, "By the way, are you ever going to do_ your_ laundry?"

"Oh! I should go do that now..." She mumbled to herself and hauled away a white basket overflowing with worn clothes.

Guilt spread from my chest achingly.

The amount of information I hid from my best friend was unforgivable: did I even deserve to call her that?

Sasori had been out of sight for a good week now, around the time of Shinobi's debut party. Every day at work I had hoped to bump into him, hoping to catch a glimpse. Whenever I passed by Gaara, my heart sank with disappointment, cringing at how like they looked from the distance.

I winced at the painful memory of Shinobi's actual debut a few days after the party.

_The arena had been swarmed with paparazzi, TV stations, radio hosts, and a professional cameras crews ready to film the entire event._

_But Akatsuki had arrived without their red headed drummer. I figured he would arrive before they had to go on stage to open for Shinobi, but that didn't happen. The entire stage crew panicked, as did the band themselves: they were without a drummer. Akatsuki's reputation was at stake and so was FU Entertainment's._

_The MC introduced Akatsuki and my nails pressed against my palms in suspense, "Opening for FU Entertainment's latest band is Akatsuki!"_

_There were screaming fans everywhere, swarming the venue like an infestation of ants. I watched one cameraman zoom in on Konan's bright features, but something was off. The rest of the band seemed tense, even my stepbrother was overly stiff. They began their set with the same songs from the debut party._

_Something in my mind clicked and suddenly I couldn't breathe: Sasori wasn't on stage._

_I stared at the figure slamming the drums furiously to keep up with the aggressive tune. It wasn't him. I knew his figure, the way he moved when he was playing. The person sitting back there was definitely not him._

_The flashes of red hair under the dim lighting gave it away: Gaara._

_Sakura and I had exchanged confused glances._

"Hey, aren't you going to be late for work?" Sakura elbowed the door open, carrying her empty laundry basket back into the room.

I glanced at my phone and cursed. Ugh, Kakashi was going to kill me...I flinched at how moody my boss had become these days resulting from the disappearance of Sasori.

I flagged down a cab and urged the driver to hurry. He grumbled something inaudible to me and continued a loud conversation on his headset.

Everything reminded me of Sasori. Work, music, hell—the first thing I thought of in the morning was to check my phone for any messages from him. I was losing it and Sakura was growing more and more suspicious.

"Here you go," I handed the driver 500 yen and ran as fast as I could in my three inch heels. Kakashi was _so_ going to fire me...

"Ino!" Kakashi hollered from the top of the stairs, "Where the fuck were you?"

I panted heavily, "I am so sorry, Kakashi! I honestly did not—"

Kakashi shushed me with a hand, barking into his phone.

"This is so fucking unprofessional. No—I told you…I don't fucking care how you do it—find the fucking brat!" he roared into the phone, bringing it to his mouth.

I went very still, my heart pounding in my ears. Suddenly Kakashi whirled on me. I forced myself not to run.

"It's a mess back there, clean it up! These interns have no idea what the fuck they're doing," He shook his head emphatically, and directing me to the shoot. There was something off in his expression…he was angry for sure, but there was something else. I had expected a lecture on time management, or even to get fired from this position. But...he looked almost relieved.

As we walked, I couldn't help but search for Sasori.

"He's not here," Kakashi growled, but his voice softened. I didn't want to look back. I didn't want to see the sympathy in his eyes.

I felt weak and pathetic. Everyone knew (except Sakura), which made it even more embarrassing.

My superior looked like he was about to say something else, but I sped into the dressing room before he could open his mouth. A few familiar faces said 'hello' to me and thanked me for showing up. A few interns were excused, and I saw what Kakashi meant...this room was a disaster.

I noticed Gaara's name on one of the racks.

I sighed and began searching through our closet for the colors he typically looked best in. Pulling some pieces onto the rack, I noticed a rack in the corner. It was Sasori's. And empty.

I shook my head. This was ridiculous. Moving on should not be so difficult.

"Ino," one of the photographers walked up to me, "we're kinda on a schedule, mind if we speed this up?"

"Of course, sorry," I smiled at him politely, but I could tell that Sasori's disappeance had set everyone on edge. The whole crew seemed anxious.

Not wanting to approach Gaara, I got one of the remaining interns to bring him his wardrobe. In an attempt to distract my mind from Sasori, I decided to clean the room up a bit. There were accessories on the floor and all the clothes were completely unorganized.

_Blue goes here...oh my gosh why is this watch on the floor?_

I carefully picked it up, not wanting to guess how much it cost.

"Ino."

I turned only to lock eyes with the one person I was not in the mood to speak to.

"Why are you avoiding me?" He didn't show any emotion, except for curiosity.

My mind immediately replayed the morning after the Pink Frog. Sasori had walked out of his shoot to confront me. "Why are you avoiding me?" He had accused. We bickered about the kiss...about the story I had told Sakura. That was the way we started—both childishly stubborn.

"I'm not avoiding you," I spoke calmly, sorting gold accessories from silver.

"Yes you are," Shinobi's drummer voiced firmly, in such a tone that I was afraid to argue the fact, "I want to know why."

I paused, shaking my head.

"Ino, do you know where Sasori is?" An intern asked, deep worry etching in her face. I was surprised she had the guts to interrupt a conversation Gaara was involved in.

"I…sorry no, I don't know."

"But, I've seen you guys hang out…You guys seemed really close," she pouted at me as if she had just complimented me. Stupid bimbo.

I glanced at Gaara for a split second; he seemed focused on a thought.

"You have the wrong person," I said quickly.

The intern looked up at him quizzically, "But, I could've sworn—"

"You heard her," Gaara replied icily.

She squeaked and shuffling back to the corner where a few other interns had been watching. I really needed to talk to Kakashi about who he was hiring.

"Gaara, I—"

"You don't need to explain yourself," he opened his eyes to meet mine. The photographer mumbled something incoherent and asked for Gaara to get back on set. Without another glance Gaara walked out of the room.

_Fuck. _

* * *

**~Sakura~**

My fingers skimmed the piano keys as I stared at the music score in-progress in front of me.

_ C'mon Sakura, focus. _

I sighed, scratching out a note on the paper, drumming my index against the _A _key. Briefly shutting my eyes, I hummed the melody in my mind, imagining that the notes, tempo, and rhythm were like pieces in a puzzle. In my mind I could see everything come together in a harmonious mélange of sounds. Scribbling down a few bars worth of notes, I nodded in satisfaction, replaying the notes in my head.

I pounded out the notes slowly, mouthing potential lyrics.

**_Knock, Knock, Knock. _**

The thunderous battering almost knocked me off the piano bench. Regaining my composure, I glanced at the door, crinkling my eyebrows in confusion.

The band was out practicing for a gig tomorrow, and Ino was supposed to be at work until five.

_Uh…_

I stilled in my seat, not daring to move…willing whoever it was to leave.

**_KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK. _**

I jumped, an irrational fear seeping into my veins. I would have laughed at myself if I didn't feel so fearful.

_Why the hell are you afraid? You've been watching too many horror movies with the boys…_

I berated myself, trying to slow my accelerating pulse. I stood up, walking to the door with deliberate slow paces, my heart not in synch with my body.

_This isn't a fricking horror movie, Sakura. Go open the door!_

Taking a deep breath, I rested my hand on the doorknob, my left hand turning the lock sideways with a prominent '_clank'_. I opened the door a fraction, peeking through. I was pretty sure my heart stopped beating for a couple seconds as I took in Itachi Uchiha bristling in front behind the door. His eyes were tinted a murderous red. He was dressed in a black suit; in his right hand he clutched his phone.

"Wha—"

"Where is my stepsister?" Itachi practically growled, placing a hand on the door.

"She's not here," I squeaked automatically, leaning against the door, wanting to shut it in his face.

Itachi narrowed his eyes distrustfully. My breath hitched, my head swirling with confusion. Why was he here? What did he want with Ino?

"Sakura if you're lying to me—"

"I'm not," I snapped, anger taking hold of my agitation, "She's at work."

Itachi hissed, running a hand through his fine ebony hair. I was taken aback at how distressed Itachi looked, concern pooling in his expression. His hair wasn't in it's usual ponytail, but instead let loose, his hair trailing past his shoulders. I sucked in a breath, my heart hammering against my chest.

"Why do you need Ino?" I asked, for a moment, forgetting my anger.

"It has nothing to do with you," Itachi hissed, pushing past me into the living room. He punched something into his phone, angling his body away from me.

"Konan, she's not here," Itachi murmured into the phone, glancing around the apartment, "Yes, KH Designs...I'll meet you there."

My narrowed at the name of Ino's workplace. How did they know where Ino worked?

"What the hell are you going to do to Ino?" I blurted, in my confusion.

"She needs to fix what she's done," Itachi replied icily, stepping towards the door.

_The fuck?_

Without thinking I shut the door, pressing up against it with my arms crossed.

"Get out of the way, Sakura," Itachi said dangerously quiet. I shivered, the hairs standing up on the back of my neck.

"Not until you tell me what the hell is going on."

"Sakura, I'm warning you. _Move._" Itachi voice was laced in venom but his expression didn't hold the same menace. He looked exhausted, and there were dark circles underneath his eyes.

"Ino hasn't done anything to you. She stayed away just like you asked," I retorted, not budging.

Itachi's expression twisted into a cruel smile, "I'm flattered by your concern, but I'm not the one who is currently _missing_."

My mind flashed back to Shinobi's debut a couple days after the party. I flitted to an image of their band performing on stage without their drummer. It had been all over the media: Sasori's mysterious disappearance.

_But what did that have to do with Ino?_

"You…you think she has something to do with Sasori?" I asked incredulous, "You…you think she kidnapped him?"

Itachi's eyes widened fractionally.

"Ino has nothing to do with Sasori's disappearance," I continued rabidly, "Plus she has an alibi! I can vouch for her. Her boss can too! Hell, the whole world—"

"Do you hear half the things you say?" Itachi shook his head, his hand tracing along his jaw down to his chin.

I pointedly ignored him, "What do you want with Ino?"

"It's none of your concern," Itachi hissed.

_"Nothing that concerns you, Sakura._"

_Why does everyone keep telling me that?_

"Ino's business is my business."

"From where I stand, I don't know if she would agree."

"Well then _move._"

Itachi smirked, cocking his head to one side but remained silent.

Disarmed by his sudden change of behavior, I felt myself falter, "Why do you think she has anything to do with Sasori?"

"Do you want know?" Itachi inquired with amusement.

I inwardly cursed at his cockiness. What the hell did he think he knew? I told myself not to egg him on, that he was probably bullshitting.

"Well clearly you have something you want off your chest. I'm no pope, but I'm a _great_ listener," I joked dryly, but curiosity took the edge off my bitterness.

"Always out of the loop, aren't we?" Itachi returned with equal venom. He took a step forward, and suddenly I felt our roles reverse themselves: I was no longer to captor, but the captive. Wasn't I the one keeping him in here in the first place?

_How does that even happen? UGH._

"Speak for yourself," I muttered, avoiding his gaze. But my cheeks flared, and I could feel my whole body temperature rise dramatically. I suddenly felt exposed with my tank top and shorts and I shifted uncomfortably. Maybe it was my imagination, but was Itachi breathing more heavily? I mentally kicked myself for being so weak, for letting him intimidate me like this.

"Still unable to look me in the eye," Itachi noted huskily, and I froze.

I was extremely grateful when Itachi's phone rang right that moment, and I exhaled the breath I realized I'd been holding.

"Konan," Itachi answered, but he kept his eyes on me, and I was stared back into his bottomless eyes etched with mirth and another fading element that I was sure had been there a moment ago.

"_I've got Ino…over to Club Royale. You…Orchid Lounge._ _I'll text you…," _Konan's voice leaked through Itachi's iPhone.

"Alright," Itachi replied slipping it back into his pocket.

"What is Konan planning to do at this _Club Royale_ with Ino?" I accused, stepping forward.

"You already know," Itachi replied evenly.

_To find Sasori…_

"But what makes you think that Ino cares—" I broke off sentence.

And then it hit me.

Her erratic mood swings...

_"Do you…like him?"_

_"Look, I really just need __space_, alright?"

_"Even then you just wouldn't understand."_

Her "appointments"...

_"I told you...work stuff."_

_"I work for Kakashi Hatake, of course I'm going to look fancy." _

Her reaction to the magazine...

_"Sasori is an idiot, let's just forget him."_

_"Let go, Sakura."_

_"Sakura, he isn't worth your time! Put this dress on, I think it'll look nice on you."_

**___Holy_**___ SHIT._

___No..._

___HOLY SHIT..._

And all this time I thought it was Gaara...

_"Sakura, look, I wanted to tell you, but it's just...I know the guys wouldn't approve."_

I mentally kicked myself for picking the WRONG redhead.

"Oh…my god," I breathed, shaking my head in disbelief. How? How had I missed this?

But at the same time, I heard a faint voice whisper, '_But doesn't it make perfect sense?'_

"Why...why didn't she tell me?" I asked no one in particular. I glanced around the room at a loss.

When our eyes met, I caught a flash of something dark in Itachi's gaze, something I was scared to identify. Itachi stayed silent, surveying me quietly, the dangerous glint flickering like a candle. That was all I needed as an answer. Why hadn't Ino told me? Wasn't it obvious? I had been against any relationship with the Akatsuki from the beginning…hadn't I?

_But if she had told me, I would have tried…_my inner voice argued.

"How long?" I heard myself ask.

"You already know," Itachi repeated.

"The night I passed out," I clarified.

Itachi visibly tensed, "Yes."

"She told me she was with Deidara the whole night," I narrowed my eyes, remembering the brown-haired boy Deidara had brought as his date to the debut party, "But something tells me Deidara's isn't exactly a _ladies_ man. Which means…she lied," I finished, shooting Itachi a glare, "But you already knew that."

Itachi's eyes narrowed to slits, but he remained silent confirming my realization.

"So they must've been together that night. Oh fuck. Then what the hell was I doing?"

Itachi's jaw clenched, the cords in his throat tightening, "You're mistaken if you've disillusioned yourself in thinking you can keep me here."

I flinched, my eyes widening, "No…I'm sorry I didn't mean to…you must care about Sasori a lot to be here in the first place," I apologized, and before I knew it I was rambling, "You know when Ino likes a guy, she _really _likes him. I don't know Sasori really well, but I know that she's been really happy…well except for at the debut party…"

Itachi didn't reply, but I hadn't expected a response.

"I get why Ino didn't tell me. It's because she thinks I won't approve of him…but I feel like she should trust herself more. I mean, doesn't she know that I would _have_ to accept whoever she starts to fall in love with? Hell, if he passes all _her_ criteria, then he'd already have to be great," I grinned then, "So that's why I'm going to help you."

It was his turn to flinch, "No."

"Yup! Let's go!"

* * *

**-Ino-**

I walked out of the KH Designs building for once glad my day was over. It was an absolute nightmare having to hear all these conspiracies against Sasori. What was even worse was that I felt like I had contributed to whatever had pushed him over the edge.

Feeling incredibly drained, I took a seat on one of the benches outside Starbucks. I sighed as I considered my options of getting home. Walking in heels wasn't appealing but flagging down another taxi this week was going to drain my wallet. I realized how luxurious it was having Sasori drive me home. More than that though, I missed his company. Simply having him there always made me so...happy.

Out of nowhere, a sleek black vehicle rounded the corner with a deafening squeal, startling me out of my thoughts. I squinted to get a better look at the driver.

Who the hell drives like that in the city?

She parked on the side of the street I was on and rolled down the passenger window. Shockingly, a slender woman with straight ebony hair was in the driver's seat. Her eyes were covered with large sunglasses and she had a loose grasp on the wheel.

"Get in, Ino."

I blinked and approached the expensive looking car cautiously, "Excuse me?"

She lifted her sunglasses, pushing her bangs back.

Konan? I gawked in disbelief.

_Uh, what's with the wig?_

I pulled the door handle gently. As soon as I closed the door, she accelerated into the flow of traffic. The car smelled exactly like her sultry perfume, Chanel I assumed. One would think this was a brand new vehicle: the white leather was unstained, windows were clear of fingerprints, and the floors didn't have a single mark on them. I made a mental note to make sure my heels didn't accidentally leave a scuff mark somewhere.

"So, what's going on?" I asked timidly, keeping my hands in my lap. But somehow I already knew the answer.

"I'm sure you're aware of Sasori's disappearance," she glanced at me for a moment, as if she wanted to see my reaction.

I looked straight ahead, "Of course..."

"We've got his location narrowed down to two clubs," Konan swerved past a few slower cars on the freeway, "one about an hour away and Club Royale, which is the one we're going to."

By 'we' I knew she meant the Akatsuki. I wondered how they were coping with him vanishing all of a sudden. Most likely, they were aware of us, since we hadn't exactly been the most careful when it came to keeping our relationship on the down low. If a petty intern noticed, his band mates surely would have as well. What did they think of me at this point? How much did they think his disappearance had to do with me?

"Hey," Konan changed lanes and drove off the freeway, she continued to speed past vehicles, "you're not in trouble. Everything will work out."

I glanced at the Akatsuki vocalist in surprise. She wasn't as catty as I had imagined she would be. She was definitely different from the first time we had seen her. Had it all been an act on her part? If that were true, her image did an amazing job at covering up her personality. The serious Konan had emerged during my encounter with her and Pein at the fashion show Sasori had invited me to. She'd seemed tense then, unhappy that Itachi had missed the event. I suddenly remembered she mentioning something about their Boss...how the rest of the members had reacted.

Although it wasn't very prominent, I could hear the sincerity in her voice. As she made a sharp turn to the left, I began to notice her skillful driving. We were obviously speeding, but I felt like I was floating. The way she maneuvered her vehicle was so smooth, handling the steering wheel with grace and expertise.

"You seem to be a really experienced driver," I spoke in awe. What could this girl _not_ do?

"Thank you," she smiled, something I've never seen her do genuinely before, "Ever since I was little, I've had a passion for cars."

Never thought I'd say this...but I could actually picture myself being friends with her.

"That's really cool," I returned with a shy smile.

Konan remained silent, keeping her gaze steady on the road but I could have sworn a flicker of pride flashed in her dark blue eyes.

"So what's with the wig?" I watched her tuck a chunk of ebony hair behind her ears.

"We are trying to keep Sasori's status under wraps, and as you might know, paparazzi tend to hover nearby," Konan explained. I examined her outfit: a small black dress with sleeves that went down to her elbows and black ankle boots. She reminded me of a secret agent or something.

I grew more and more impatient with each red light. What if Sasori had already left the club? Had he ever pulled something like this before? I pressed my lips together in deep thought.

I could feel Konan looking at me again, "Try not to think too much."

_She's good._

"Has this..." I hesitated for a moment, "...has he been like this before?"

It was Konan's turn to pause thoughtfully. I had a feeling I wasn't going to like what she was about to tell me.

"Once," she started slowly, as if she were about to break some bad news to me, "three years ago. A dear friend of his left him."

I observed the small shops and buildings we passed. I felt my pulse quicken, wanting to know more I decided to be bold, "A…_she_ friend?"

"Yes," Konan replied grimly, "She left without a word," Konan pursed her lips as if she were remembering something she hadn't thought of in a while, "Sasori disappeared that night. He went looking for her and we couldn't find him. No matter how many PIs we hired, it was as if he'd fell of the Earth. When he came back, he was different. Not many people could recognize it, but I knew. He became distant, more careless…"

I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear anymore. So I stayed silent.

Konan finally broke the tense silence, "I know it may not seem like it right now, but Sasori trusts you. And I believe he cares for you deeply."

I was taken aback at her seriousness.

"You know him pretty well, don't you?" I smiled bitterly at the floor. I felt like a complete outsider with no idea what was going on in Sasori's head, let alone anything about his past.

"I grew up with the kid," Konan shrugged, "he's always let his heart drive his actions. Always on the go, impulsive and reckless. On the plus side, it drove him towards his passion. He always knew what he wanted."

I leaned my head back onto the headrest, trying to take everything in. I could feel pressure build up in my chest.

"On the other side…well…" Konan scoffed, rolling her eyes.

I tried to smile, but failed, instead feeling irrational tears threatening to fall.

I felt her glance over once, pressing a button on her steering wheel. A soothing melody, played by a piano, began emitting through the speakers, "Music usually helps distract me for a bit," she said softly.

_She's so...nice._

"Thanks," I tilted my head to face the window on my left.

My mind focused on the guitar added into the piece, a harmonious mix.

* * *

**~Sakura~**

"Get out of the car," Itachi ordered, swerving to pull up at the side of the road.

"What are you doing?"

"Here. Cab home," he said shuffling in his pockets and pulling out more than enough money for a cab.

I ignored his gesture, "No! Ino's my best friend—"

"—this doesn't concern—"

"—oh shut up. If Sasori is important to her than he's important to me."

"Sakura, you're testing my patience," Itachi said darkly, gritting his teeth.

"And you're failing mine. Drive, willya?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"If I call you 'sir' for the rest of the day, will you drive?" I blurted.

_Silence._

"…Pardon?"

"Well, will you?"

"…Are you aware of half the things—"

"Sir, won't you let me stay?" I said in my most seductive voice.

For a split second, Itachi's expression seemed completely disarmed and for God knows why, I felt triumphant.

And then his eyes met mine and he smirked, "Oh I see. You saw my latest interview."

"Well it's hard to miss something that's been constantly replayed on TV," I replied sheepishly, recalling an interview Ino and I watched last weekend. It had been a talk show starring Akatsuki. The peak of the show had been when the talk show host asked the male members of the Akatsuki what type of women they preferred.

_"Itachi won't admit it," _Sasori had cut in during Itachi's response, _"But he likes his women submissive._ _He can't say no to those cutesy, submissive types." _Everybody had laughed at Sasori's joke. Well, except Itachi.

Shockingly enough, Itachi switched on the ignition…and we were off again. Now that I thought of it, Itachi had never properly answered the host's question.

_"I'm focusing on my career at the moment, that satisfies me. I don't have time for women at this point," _Itachi had replied then. I rolled my eyes and Ino laughed, "He's such a prude."

Then something strange came over me. I suddenly wanted to fluster him, to see if it was possible to make him stutter, to make him nervous. I smirked at my inner challenge. If the drive was a long one, I might as well entertain myself.

"You're secretly into things like this, aren't you…Sir?" I giggled, half joking.

"Curious?" Itachi retorted immediately.

"Maybe," I teased.

I stayed aloof as he shot me a sidelong glance, before he scoffed and turned his attention back to the road.

"So what _is_ your 'type'?" I taunted, running a hand sensually (as I could) through my hair.

"If you're so curious why don't you guess?" Itachi raised an eyebrow.

"Hopefully not boys," I goaded, trying to elicit a reaction. Any reaction would be great at this point.

"Sakura," Itachi suddenly smiled, "Are you flirting with me?"

I froze, but recovered quickly, "And what would you do if I was, Sir?" But I couldn't stop the blood rushing to my cheeks.

Itachi hummed, stealing a glance my way, a wicked glint filling his eyes, "It's a wonder why my brother is so taken with you. I do hope this isn't how you seduced him."

"W-What?" I spluttered.

"And here I always thought he had choicer taste in women," Itachi continued, nonplussed.

"And I'm sure you've charmed many women with your _fantastic_ personality," I snapped.

Itachi ignored me, "However, he may enjoy your oral talents elsewhere."

I choked on a string of coughs that followed.

* * *

My face was still beat red when we finally arrived at The Orchid Lounge. At a first glance outside, it was an impressive establishment, I had to admit. Definitely a place I could see guys like Sasori hang out at. I wondered if Itachi ever went to these types of clubs. Most likely...but I still couldn't see him hooking up with anyone. Maybe he really was asexual.

"Step out," Itachi commanded, smoothly exiting from the other side.

"Wait...I thought you were going to leave me here," I replied climbing out uncertainly.

"It's safer if you stay with me," Itachi replied putting on a pair of sunglasses, and tucking his long glossy hair underneath a hat that totally didn't match his black suit.

"Uhm, what are you doing?" I asked.

Itachi ignored me, locking the car and making his way to the large entrance which currently was sporting quite a large line of people.

"Wait! Itachi...I can't go into clubs," I stuttered, "Well, not these sorts of clubs, anyway."

He narrowed his eyes, "Why ever not?"

"Well, they ID you at the entrance right?" I said miserably.

Itachi paused, an amused expression crossing his features, "How old are you?"

"I'm eighteen, you amnesiac! And I'm dressed like a hobo. They turn people like me away!" I flailed, walking back to the car.

I yelped when Itachi grabbed my arm and dragged me back with unexpected strength towards the nightclub.

"Itachi, let go! This is embarrassing!" I wailed, struggling against his firm grip. I stopped struggling the moment we were in sight of the door men. My eyes widened when Itachi went straight for the doors, cutting straight through the line.

"Itachi, what the hell—"

"Hello," Itachi nodded at the bouncers, pulling out his wallet and ID, "And this one is with me," he lifted my arm.

"Go right on inside," a man in a grey suit replied, opening the door for us both. For a moment, I could've sworn that the bouncer smiled at me. I gawked at their exchange, stepping through self-consciously. I regretted not changing out of my tank top and shorts.

"You cheated!" I accused, after stepping into the club. We were instantly blasted with house music, and I strained my voice to communicate.

Itachi arched his eyebrow.

"You used your fame!"

Itachi smirked, "There are perks."

"Unbelievable," I clucked my tongue, glancing around. It was...huge. On both sides of me were bars with good looking servers, and further right was a large dance floor that was currently crowded with people. In the center of the dance floor was a cage that was being danced in by what looked like professional strippers. To the far left were at least ten lounging areas around a strip pole. There must have been at least forty strippers solely dancing around poles. And even further, past the dance floor was a red stage dominated by burlesque dancers.

_Strippers everywhere. Sheesh. _

"Lovely."

"I'm going to speak with the manager. Wait at the bar until I return," Itachi said, "And Sakura, I trust you'll stay out of trouble," he left before I could even protest.

_Okay, so I'm not allowed to stay in the car, but I'm allowed to sit at the bar? What is wrong with him? _

* * *

**-Ino-**

Konan parked in a concealed area behind the club and stepped out immediately after the ignition was switched off. I mimicked her motions until were near the entrance of the club. There was a line that extended towards the end of the block. The pulses of club music seemed to almost shake the building with its rhythmic booming. I thought of the Pink Frog...of what had happened the last time I was at a club. A wave of anxiety swept over me, causing me to shiver involuntarily.

Then, a plainly obvious thought passed me and I whispered to Konan, "Wait, I'm only eighteen."

"Um," She paused and gave me an inscrutable expression, "how did you get into the Pink Frog then?"

"They didn't ID us." I blinked at her. Now that I thought about it, we simply walked in—no questions asked. I guess that's one of the perks of being a girl...

"Right," she sighed and began walking towards the front of the line again. I assumed she wouldn't even need to say a word to get in. Since Akatsuki's unwavering fame, all Konan really needed was her ID to do whatever she wanted around here.

The buff looking bouncer scrutinized us until Konan pulled out her license. Although he hid it well, I could tell he was starstruck as soon as he read her name on the card. She pulled me along, indicating that I was with her.

The music grew louder and louder as we walked deeper into the club. My eyes examined the premises for any signs of Sasori. I groaned in frustration at how dark the place was, and the flashy lights weren't helpful either.

Sasori was in here somewhere. Probably with a girl. Or five.

"Relax," Konan spoke loud enough for me to hear. She seemed to be staring at the other end of the club intently. I was about to ask what she was looking at, but she pulled me behind her to the lounge area.

"I want you to check the private rooms," she spoke suddenly once we sat across from one another at a booth in the corner.

"Are you serious?" I realized this wasn't exactly the time for jokes, but that didn't stop me from searching her expression for any signs of one. I had never been to such a high-class nightclub before, let alone a private room where strippers do God knows what for horny men.

"I'm serious," she confirmed sternly, glancing at the entrance to the rooms subtly, "I'm going to distract the security guard and when I cross my arms, you're going to sneak in. Got it?"

I bit my lip anxiously, could I pull this off? What if I screwed up? Then we would never find Sasori...and it would be my fault.

The stakes were too high, but if Konan thought I could do it—then I guess I had no choice.

I engraved her instructions in my mind and nodded, "Got it."

She stood slowly from her seat and licked her lips. She strode towards the man who looked even more muscular than the bouncer at the club's entrance (if that was even possible). I watched as she batted her lashes at the man seductively, something she had clearly mastered.

I was immediately impressed when he chuckled slightly at something she'd said. Her hand grazed his arm as she gently pulled him towards the dance floor. My first instinct was to get up and rush into the rooms, but I froze when he turned to check the entrance. She giggled and placed a hand at the base of his neck, pulling him towards her slightly. He suddenly shifted his attention to her once again.

Konan laughed openly as she crossed her arms.

I sprung from my seat and jolted through the entrance, turning at random corners. For once I was grateful for the unbearably loud music, since it concealed what would be obnoxious clacking of heels.

I was surprised at how many rooms there were behind the club. Pressing myself against one of the doors, I caught my breath. How the hell was I going to find Sasori if there were so many rooms...?

Across from me read 'Room 47'. I stared at the gold block attached to the upper center of the door, still attempting to calm my body from the adrenaline rush I had just experienced. I squinted when I noticed something white peeking out from the top of the block. Pinching the object with my thumb and forefinger, I slid it out from the slot.

It was a card with someone's last name and a number, which I assumed was how long this person wanted with the stripper(s).

I quickly slid the card back into its place and began a similar routine with all the other rooms. Whenever I pulled out one of the cards, my chest would clench in anticipation. And each time his name wasn't on the paper, I felt my heart break little by little. Although I had only been doing this for about ten minutes, I felt like I was running out of time. Frustrated tears escaped and I wiped them away before they could roll past my cheeks.

I pressed my forehead against one of the unchecked doors. He probably wasn't even here. Maybe Itachi found him. They were probably on their way home right now.

Suddenly I heard a woman moan his name.

My body froze in shock. It wasn't a mistake. I clearly heard a woman moaning and squealing his name. I stepped away from the door and stared at the black numbers: 110. My shaky hand reached for the card hidden in the block. Reading his name, Akasuna, I exhaled at the confirmation. I found him—I actually did it. I considered waiting for Konan, but then realized we didn't have all the time in the world.

_Okay. Here we go..._

I bit my lip and placed a hand on the doorknob, twisting it ever so slightly. He left it unlocked...

My heart hammered frantically against my ribcage as I slowly pushed the door open.

I felt tears rimming the corners of my eyes at the sight of him. He had his lips pressed against the crook of a fair woman's neck, while another was slowly unbuttoning his white dress shirt behind him. He was grinding between the two women savagely, glancing towards the bed once in a while. There, a half naked girl was seated on the king-sized mattress, in the middle of taking a shot and holding what I assumed to be his Scotch in her free hand. His hands roamed all over the woman before him, clearly without boundaries. The rapid thumping of my pulse almost drowned out the trashy dub-step playing through overhead speakers.

My breath hitched when one of the girls made eye contact with me.

"Um, excuse me. This is a _private_ party," she pinned me with a malicious expression.

I couldn't even speak. Because if I did, I knew the tears wouldn't stop—and I didn't want him to see me break so easily.

My eyes widened when he raised his head to look at me, "Inooooo! Hey, whe-where've you _beeeeen babyyy_?"

I was taken aback by his words. I thought he hated me…

_He's beyond drunk, idiot._

Maybe it was better if he forgot those feelings for now so I could get him home without a fuss.

"Why're you just standin' aroundddd?" He slid away from the two women who scowled at me like I had dragged him away from them or something. "Take a shot and join ussss!"

I suddenly felt disgusted. I knew he was upset, but I never imagined him to act out this way. I looked at him and realized how unrecognizable he was to me. His eyes weren't the same. There was a distinctive haziness in them. I stood in silence, watching him take his Scotch from the girl on the bed and chugging it. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and set the glass on a table.

He stared at me intently, ignoring the seductive calls from the other women in the room. I fixed my gaze onto the carpeted floor.

"Ino..."

I flinched visibly at the sound of him saying my name so abruptly. Although I didn't dare look up, I knew he was making his way towards me. His steps were slow and torturous, until he was a mere centimeter away from me. My breaths shortened as he brushed my cheek with his thumb.

"Where did you _gooooo_?" For a second I saw the child in him. It was his turn to look lost.

I wanted to pull away from his touch, but my body was frozen still. My vision blurred with the tears that still threatened to fall.

"You're the one that left." My voice wavered and I looked away from him.

He took a step back, his hand dropping to his side. He chuckle bitterly, running a hand through his already tousled hair.

"That's right," he motioned for the half-empty bottle of Scotch from the girl on the bed. She scampered towards him and he ripped the glass container away from her. He took a long swig of the amber liquor, shoving it against her once he swallowed.

"I left because _you_ decided to fuck around with me."

_Way to keep your mouth shut, Ino._

His words stung and I cursed myself for provoking him in such a state. He already hated me when he was sober, who knew how heightened that hatred would be with alcohol thrown in the mix.

"I didn't come here to fight with you, Sasori." I knew reasoning with him at this point was useless, but there was nothing else I could do, "Just please come home."

Suddenly, his gaze on me darkened and I struggled to push away the fear rooted deep in my chest. With every step he took towards me, I paced back until I was against the wall adjacent to the entrance.

"Don't fucking tell _me_ what to do, Ino," he spat aggressively, looking down on me threateningly. "Who the fuck do you think you are? All that shit about you not trusting me because _I've_ got girls lined up. What about you? You fucking showed up that night with my cousin!"

I couldn't look at him. Every word of his rang true. I put up a wall between him and I because I didn't believe he could commit. Then I had to go and accept Gaara's invitation. What the hell was I doing?

"Fucking look at me, Ino!" I bit back a scream at his suddenly aggressive tone. My eyes forced themselves to meet his. I could feel my body shake uncontrollably. Looking at him, I could see the contempt he held towards me. And it terrified me.

His seething expression simply terrified me.

I couldn't hold back anymore. Tears began to stream down my cheeks, and I turned my head away once again.

"What? You scared of me?" He scoffed venomously. Whatever I had planned to say wouldn't make this any better.

"Whatever, it's my fault I got involved with a slut."

Before I knew what I was doing I slapped him. _Hard_.

Sasori looked stunned, stepping back a few paces...

...but not as shocked as I felt.

"I can't believe I _ever _liked you. Look at yourself," I spat, anger boiling from my core, "you're disgusting!"

I turned towards the door, about to storm out, but was met with the furious expression Konan directed at her band mate.

"I see you've been busy," she sneered, walked towards him, her hands folded across her chest like a scolding mother. She scanned the room expressively, her brows rose once she examined the three women still in the room, "I suggest you all leave."

They gathered their belongings swiftly and scurried out of the room, whispering to one another as they did so.

Konan paced to the opposite side of Sasori—shaking her head, "You really dug yourself deep. I'm not impressed."

"Leave me alone, Konan," he attempted to turn away from her, but she grabbed his arm and whipped him back to face her.

"You are coming back with us, you selfish fuck," she snapped firmly.

He jerked his arm out of her grasp and let out a frustrated growl, his teeth clenched in repressed anger. The way Konan handled Sasori was amazing, she had so much authority over him.

"Can you get this idiot back to the car in one piece?" Konan focused on me with a subtly consoling expression.

I nodded, tears still falling past my jaw. She tossed me her car keys.

"I'll make sure the coast is clear." The vocalist made sure to glare at Sasori sternly before bolting out of the room.

I sucked in a deep breath and tugged on Sasori's sleeve, guiding him out the back exit to where Konan had parked earlier. Surprisingly, he stayed silent and followed without any resistance. After pushing the unlock button, I opened the back door and released the fabric of his shirt.

Before I could open my mouth to order him into the vehicle, he slammed the door shut and smoothly placed both hands on the car on either side of me.

I glared at him with glossy eyes, "What do you think you're doing, Sasori?"

"Why did you come with Konan?" He demanded, completely ignoring my original question.

"Do you know how many people are worried sick about you right now?" My anger made it easier to look into his darkened eyes. Still, I could feel my knees weaken at the proximity between us.

"But you're not one of them," he shook his head and looked to the side, "so why are you here?"

I could feel myself starting to cry again. He thought I didn't care...?

That's when I realized how Sasori must have felt when I told him I didn't trust him, when I didn't believe _he_ cared about _me_.

"Sasori—"

"Why are you here Ino?" He asked again, this time quieter, "You don't care about Akatsuki, you have no interest in being at a club, and you sure as hell don't give a shit about me. So what is it? Do you like seeing me like this? Do you get off on seeing me like this?" Sasori snarled, slamming his fists against the car.

"Could you be any more oblivious? It's because I love you, you _asshole!_"

My hand flew to my mouth as soon as the words escaped my lips.

His features didn't move.

_Oh my God. YOU IDIOT!_

I was immediately paralyzed by Sasori's sudden low chuckle. His head was bowed and his figure began to tremble. My expression turned to one of horror when I realized he was laughing.

"What's so funny?" I challenged.

"You use that line on every guy you meet?" He lifted his head and smirked at me cruelly.

Something in me exploded.

"You really don't _fucking_ get it do you?" I looked up from the cement to glare at him, "Gaara was _never_ in the picture! I never should have lied to you about the debut and I'm sorry, but you need to grow up and get over it, Sasori! You know it was always about you. The only person I fell for since I got here was _you! _Why are you so fucking blind when it comes to me?" I screamed hitting his chest as hard and I could.

He seemed to be dazed by my outburst. I watched his arms drop, but he didn't step back. He simply stared at me with a blank expression.

I panted heavily from the adrenaline.

_Well that shut him up..._

"What's going on?" Konan's hard voice broke the silence.

"Nothing," I grumbled pushing past Sasori to seat myself in the passenger seat.

"Get in, and be ready for hell when we get back Sasori," Konan growled, opening the door violent and practically shoving him inside.

We drove the rest of the way home in silence.

* * *

**~Sakura~**

_Itachi would you hurry up? _I telepathically begged, burning underneath the curious gazes.

"I don't think I've seen you here before."

I looked up at a cute blonde bartender currently grinning at me. I briefly wondered how many girls had fallen for that killer smile of his. I silently thanked God for the welcome distraction.

_Practiced, _I corrected myself, _his practiced smile._

I couldn't help notice how his white wife beater looked like it would burst over his bulging muscles. He had that 'surfer' guy look with his tanned skin and deep blue eyes.

"Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen a girl with pink hair before," he continued, crossing his arms on the bar and leaning in.

"I'm something of a mutant," I smiled comfortably, running a hand through my hair. I frowned, it was getting long now, reaching just above my waist.

"Didn't know mutants could be so hot," the bartender teased, arching a brow comically.

"Oh, you'd be surprised," I returned playfully, knowing it was safe to flirt with bartenders…or so at least Ino had told me.

I swallowed at the thought of my best friend…where was she now? How was I supposed to confront her?

I sighed, pushing her out of my mind. I'd have to deal with all that later…

The surfer bartender's laugh startled me out of my thoughts.

"How may I serve you, babe?"

"Surprise me," I winked, but nonetheless surprised.

_Well, he must think I'm of age since I was able to get in. _

I couldn't help smiling to myself, repressing the urge to happy dance all across the table. Itachi could chat with the manager all he wanted. I, at least deserved to enjoy myself while I was here.

_Itachi won't mind…right?_

_EW, you don't need his consent! He can't control you!,_ I countered my inner voice, viciously shoving her into the deep recesses of my mind.

"Here you go gorgeous—on the house," the surfer bartender grinned, sliding a glass overdramatically across the table. I laughed at his expression.

"Mmm," I nodded approvingly after a couple sips. I watched as a group of girls waved the bartender over.

I didn't know how long I sat there, but by the time the bartender returned, I was already finished my drink and onto my second.

"So, you got a story?" he scanned me up and down with a smirk.

"Oh," I giggled, inexplicably happy, "Yeah, a long one."

"I saw you enter with a guy—he your boyfriend?"

I almost gagged, "No way. No. He's the one that brought me here. Well, no actually I made him take me with him. We're looking for someone."

"Sounds…intriguing," he whistled, mixing another drink for a customer a few seats away.

"It's not as cool as it sounds," I corrected, fanning myself. Was it just me, or was it getting hot in here?

"Actually I've seen him around before…," he said thoughtfully, after serving the customer.

I was suddenly very interested, "Oh really? Does he come here often?"

"Twice a month or so…he's usually surrounded by a posse of some sort. I've been warned to treat them 'appropriately'."

"Have you ever seen him with a girl?" I demanded.

"I presume you mean _with_ with a girl?"

"Yeahhhhhhh. And I'd like another one of those fruity drinks," I giggled.

"Haha, sure thing. But take it easy eh? It's still early. And no, now that I come to think of it…"

"Why am I not surprised..." I rolled my eyes, "He's totally assssssexual."

"What makes you say that?" the bartender smiled, his eyes crinkling with amusement.

"I've never seen him with a girl...or a boy for that matter. I don't think he's even dated anyone. Not that anyone _would..."_

"Kinda harsh to say about a friend," he laughed.

"We're _not_ friends. We're just here together. We're actually enemies," I scoffed, taking another big sip, "But he used to be so nice, you know? Like a good person. He was different and...and...now he's just an asshole jerk-face!" I slammed my fist onto the counter.

The bartender nodded emphatically. I didn't know whether he was just playing along for the sake of it, but it made me feel better.

"Oh...speaking of jerk-faces...he hangs around with a redhead. Ye tall, and kinda has that player-pretty-boy thing going for him? Apparently I've made out with him, but I think they're _lying to me_," my voice dropped to a conspirator's whisper.

"And that's your last drink," the bartender chuckled, "Yeah, he's usually with a redhead…yep, that's an accurate description."

"Oh my god. Have you seen him come in today? That's the guy we're looking for!" I exclaimed, jumping to my feet and swaying to my left, just barely steadying myself.

"Whoa, you alright?"

"I'm feeling a little warm," I confessed biting my lip. Why was everything so shiny? I sat myself back down feeling dizzier by the minute.

"You look a little more than just 'warm'," he snorted.

"Yeah, but what about Saaaaasori?" I pouted.

"Who? Oh, the redhead? Yeah funny, I haven't seen him today. He was here a couple days ago though."

"Nooooooo," I groaned, slapping my forehead, "We missed him!"

"Ah, that sucks. Sorry, babe," he tsked, turning his attention to a stubby looking man in an unflattering vomit-colored suit.

"Well I gotta let Itachhhiii know. But first, I gotta pee," I giggled, scooting out of my seat.

"Just turn left at the dance floor and follow the arrows," he called after me, looking a little concerned.

"Thanks! And I never got your name," I paused glancing backwards, trying not to sway.

"Luka," Luka flashed a perfectly whitened row of teeth.

"I'm Sakura! Laters Luka," I waved wildly, trying very hard not to trip as I made my way towards the semi-crowded dance floor. There was heavy grinding going on. And lots of smooching. I giggled again for no apparent reason.

_Okay c'mon Sakura. Focus. Bathroom._

I silently congratulated myself for managing to find the lady's restroom without falling. But my head was feeling heavy, and I was beginning to see stars.

"Hey! You're not on a shift right? C'here!" I yelped as a aggressive hand clamped down like a vice onto my wrist.

"What are you doing?" I whined, pulling back. I whirled on the unwelcome stranger. For a second I was stunned by the flurry of colors, feathers, and sparkles she wore. Her hair was done up in a fancy hairdo, and on top she wore a feather-like head band. A crimson red corset hugged her slim figure, squeezing her in all the right places. Black thigh-highs ran down her long tanned legs until they reached a pair of black pumps.

"What am I doing? I'm trying not to get us a beating. I need you to fill in for a girl and we have to be on stage in ten!" she screeched, making a grab for my wrist and hauling me away from the restrooms.

"Wait! You've got the wrong idea!" I protested, helplessly stumbling after her. Before I knew it, we were in a enormous dressing room filled with all sorts of costumes, hats, shoes, makeup, and accessories. Strippers and dancers were everywhere, running around half-dressed or naked frantically.

"Please, I'm not a dancer!" I yelled, "These clothes...aren't...I'm not—"

"I don't care if you're just a stripper," the dancer snapped, "Just do what you do best—strip, entertain. If you don't, we'll both get a beating, do you understand?"

"Please just listen—"

"Sui, Min! Get her dressed. She's a stripper but Cherry never showed up and Pinky here isn't on a shift," she interrupted, calling two girls dressed in the same outfits as her.

Horror filled my gut, overpowering my senses and sobering me up instantly.

"There won't be time to do her hair...but I can get her dressed," one of the girls replied quietly, speed walking back to a rack that held a dozen outfits.

"Come here, I'm Sui. You must be new, I'll do your makeup," the second girl smiled, gently leading me towards a large dress mirror.

"Wait! Please, there's been a misunderstanding...I'm not a stripper!" I whispered desperately to Sui, who looked shockingly unsurprised.

"If you don't...we'll get in trouble...he'll hurt us." she whispered back, just as fearful.

_What...?_

"I don't know who you are, and you may not be a stripper...but you need to help us. He hates when we don't get things right," Sui continued, her eyes glossing over with tears.

"Who'll hurt you?"

Without a word, Sui lifted her bangs and I flinched. A purpling bruise stood out horrifically against her pale skin. Then she shoved her long black hair to the side, uncovering another bruise the size of an apple at least on her shoulder blade.

"He beats us where he thinks nobody will see," Sui shivered.

"Oh my god," I gasped covering my mouth.

At that moment, Min returned with an identical outside draped over her arm.

"Will you help us?" Sui asked.

I looked at both the girls. They must have been about my age give or take one or two years. I glanced at Min and wondered how many bruises she was hiding right now. How many bruises and beating they had endured up 'til now.

"Whatever Sui told you," Min replied glaring at Sui who shivered under her hard gaze, "There's nothing you can do. You'll only make it worse for us. The only thing we need right now is a extra dancer."

"I've had a dance class or two," I replied, smiling weakly.

* * *

"Don't be nervous...you're hot so you'll get attention either way," Sui whispered, sensing my anxiety.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the reason why I was nervous. We were behind the curtains, ready to be announced. I replayed the stripper's crash course Sui and Min had given me.

Their club had a 'touch and go' policy which meant customers were not allowed to touch the dancers on stage. However, they were allowed to tip by sliding bills into our garters, or even our corsets. It was also normal for them to leave bills on the stage.

_"You don't have to be anxious or nervous. If they touch you, signal the bouncer and he'll kick the bastard out, got it?" _

_"I'm not really here for the money," I'd reminded them, praying that I wouldn't have to deal with men sticking bills down my underwear and garters. I shuddered involuntarily._

_"You're definitely going to get attention, that's for sure. Don't worry, we're well protected on stage. If guys want a real piece of you, they'll have to ask for a private dance."_

_"I can't do those," I gasped, feeling myself flush._

_"Don't worry. You won't have to," Min reassured squeezing my hand._

_"What will you guys be doing?" _

_"Me and Cat are gonna do a burlesque routine center stage while you and Sui do your own thing on the side. Strip, sway your hips, entertain the audience." _

_"I h-have to s-strip?" _

_"Just take off your gloves, and your thigh-highs. Remember, do it slowly. It's all about timing. The slower you do it, the less pressure there will be to take your corset off." _

_"B-But I don't have anything underneath!"_

_"Yeah, that's sort of the point." _

_"OH MY GOD." _

_"Okay guys, get ready. We're on in one! Get behind the curtains." _

"Don't worry, you're be fine. Just wing it, that's half of stripping anyway," Sui encouraged, ripping me back to the present.

I felt sick to my stomach and I wiped my clammy hands on my corset. How they managed to unlace these corsets on stage was a mystery to me. How Sui had gotten this contraption on me was another thing altogether. I shifted uncomfortably in the tight fabric, unhappy with how exposed I felt. The corset unpleasantly pushed up my breasts, leaving a very exposed area of cleavage that I constantly felt the need to cover up with my hands. I glanced down and groaned at the microscopic piece of fabric they called underwear covering only the essentials.

"The Little Lolitas!" the announcer's voice boomed.

My pulse fluttered in an mélange of nerves and panic as the lights immediately dimmed and a slow sultry song flowed through the speakers.

The curtain lifted slowly and I resisted the urge to run, my heart hammered painfully against my chest.

Cat and Min sashayed to center stage, eliciting a roar of whistles, catcalls, and shouts from men all over the club. I watched as interested spectators made their way towards the stage.

"You can do this," Sui whispered, squeezing my hand for the last time before cat walking down to the right side of the stage, invoking a stronger wave of cheers.

Without thinking I mimicked her movements, except moving to the left. My heart pounded in my ears, preventing me from hearing any else. I tried to walk was gracefully as possible to the spot Sui had showed me. As I made my way to my destination, I could hear the lewd comments blowing my way. I froze, looking down at the audience for the first time. I instantly blushed at the sea of eyes that were watching my every move.

_Oh fuck. Sakura, breathe…_

"You can be my little Lolita anytime!" someone called to my right.

A number of whistles followed.

"Come over here, baby, no need to be shy," another teased, snapping me back to attention.

I glanced over to Sui who was already at her stop, stripping her glove off sensually off her arm.

_How is that even possible?_

I hurried over to my spot, flipping my hair was playfully as possible. I almost screamed when a pair of hands stretched the band of my underwear, sticking a pile of bills at my hipbone.

"There's more where that came from, honey," a deep voice growled to my left.

_Oh my god. _

I tried to cover my horror with a seductive smile; slowly pealing off my glove the say Min had showed me.

"That's right baby, take it all off," another hollered.

I bit my lip, a deep flush spreading across my face. I slide the glove and off and started on my left but stopped myself, remembering Min's words.

_Take it slow…_

"Bend down for me, honey," a brown-haired man dressed in a white suit called, snapping a hundred dollar bill in front of my eyes.

_Uhm no thanks…_

I was about to refuse when I caught a look from Cat, which said more or less told me to take the money.

It would look weird if I didn't take the money.

I put on what I hoped was a seductive smile as I slid to my knees, presenting the man a full view of my cleavage. His eyes darkened, his eyelids drooping with lust. I flinched when he reached out and slowly placed the hundred-dollar bill in between my breasts. I held in a disgusted yelp when he squeezed my left breast subtly, licking his lips.

"Generous of you," I said playfully, but I couldn't stop my voice from wavering as I stood up and backed away from the man as quickly as possible without looking bizarre.

"You can repay me by slipping out of that corset," he commanded huskily.

"Yeah, let's see some more skin!" the man next to him encouraged.

I could feel my heart accelerate. I glanced around the stage; I was the only dancer with my stockings still on. I could feel the blood rush to my face as I noted that Cat and Min were already halfway out of their corsets, glimpses of their pale skin showing underneath.

"Just for you," I flirted back, stepping out of my pumps and reaching down between my legs.

"Skip the stockings, I want to see your breasts," he said aggressively, the men around him hooting in agreement.

"I…" I faltered, completely at a loss, my heart was beating hard in my chest and my breaths came out in frantic, panicked pants.

"Something wrong Pinky?" he suited man sneered.

_Oh my god. Oh fuck._

I watched in horror as the man next to him jumped up, "When Boss tells a cunt like you to take off your corset, you fucking take it off."

My eyes widened in alarm when he made a grab for my arm. Panic shot through my system and I let out a vicious screech that was drowned out by the heavy music.

"Hey! Hands off the dancers," someone snarled, from behind the man. I almost fell off the stage, as I matched the voice to the body.

_Luka?_

I watched as blonde bartender twisted the man's arm behind his back, who struggled but was ultimately overpowered and dragged off by the jacked bartender. Luka's face was unreadable, and he made no move to look my way either, making it impossible to get a read of him.

_Was…he watching the whole time?_

"Hard to get, huh?" the suited man smirked, completely unnerved at what had just transpired with his man, "No worries, sweet cheeks, I play by the rules. I'd rather have you all to myself anyway." He shot me a predatory grin.

"I'm sorry boys, I'm not offering private services tonight," I responded immediately, just the way Min had told me.

"Name your price baby, there's nothing I can't pay," he persisted confidently, unperturbed by my rejection.

I fought the urge to spit back, 'You couldn't buy me if you had all the money in the world, _baby_.'

I searched desperately for an excuse but only drew a blank.

"Sorry boys," Sui suddenly teased strutting up from behind me invoking a flurry of whistling, "She's reserved and he's been waiting a while." She snaked a hand sensually around my waist and I leaned in, gripping the life raft she'd thrown me immediately.

"He was willing to pay as much as I asked," I smiled weakly, trying to get a hold of my nerves.

The suited man suddenly frowned, his features darkening with rage, "Yeah? Which fucker is he? I bet I can pay the son-of-a-bitch off."

I froze at the sound of a low chuckle.

"You can try," Itachi's voice was low and menacing as he sidestepped past the suited man.

But nothing, not his voice or the suited man's glare compared to the exploding _fury_ that Itachi emitted through his crimson-blazoned eyes…raging _straight_ into mine.

* * *

**Jaycee: **Whoaaaaaa. *Wipes sweat from brow* Currently accepting coffee beans and chocolate as brain fuel. :) Apologies for any typos! Thanks for sticking with us everyone! We're so grateful for all your support this past year. (Yeah whoa it's been a year) So. Looks like Sasori and Sakura are in for some hell. And to answer some of our reader's concerns about Ino and Sasori taking over the show, this fic could have easily been under the Ino and Sasori pairing as this fic is ultimately about them four. :)

**Avis: **Yeah. So I'm very drained from writing this whole Sasori situation. Geez. And like my co-author just said, we're so so _so_ thankful for all of you that follow this story. Updates aren't exactly consistent, but we're doing our best! :)**  
**


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